Heroes
by Chibi Acky
Summary: Imagine the impossible... then watch as it becomes your worst nightmare...
1. Prelude

Hey guys, I'm kinda sick of Be Still My Heart, (and a little stumped since I got such mixed reviews on the last part!) so I decided to post this instead. This was actually a dream I had, It gets much better in my opinion. Maybe it's because this is only the prologue... hmmm..... keep reading, I love that email! Oh since I never have bothered to do this before:  
  
Japanese translations~*~  
  
uso- No way/ It can't be  
  
Hai- yes  
  
daijobu- are you okay/ I'm fine  
  
minna- everyone  
  
okaa-san- mother  
  
masaka- It can't be  
  
senshi- soldier  
  
Doushita no?- what's wrong?  
  
Okay, and that should pretty much cover it... on to the story!  
  
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"When it is dark enough, you can see the stars."  
  
  
-- Charles A. Beard  
  
  
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"Sailor Moon, look OUT!" Venus screamed dodging yet another attack of the youma. Usagi looked up just in time to see the purple blast heading straight for her head. She squeezed her eyes shut, preparing for the impact that would never come.  
  
  
Jupiter had managed to balance on her good leg while leaning heavily against a tree to support the other. She gave a quirky smile as the youma writhed under her electricity, "I don't think so!" she sang out in a sing-song voice while wagging a finger. "Minna! The youma's weak spot is that diamond on his throat! Aim everything there!" Mercury shouted to the Senshi. Mars nodded, "And how exactly are we supposed to do that? It's throat opens, then it closes, and then low and behold! It opens again!" she cried sarcastically. Venus rolled her eyes, "We'll have to attack one by-" she was cut off by a wail of a police siren. "Oh sh-" Jupiter started.  
  
  
Usagi knew this was trouble, "C'mon guys we have to dust this guy!" They looked at her rather annoyed, "Yes Sailor Moon, we know that. We have nothing to defeat it with remember? Your Tial was broken by Galaxia, does that incident ring a little bell in your head?" Mars called from across the park. "Then we'll have to aim everything we have all together, you guys with me?" challenged Sailor Moon. They all nodded.  
  
  
Moon Tiara....  
  
  
Mars Flame...  
  
  
Mercury Aqua...  
  
  
Venus Love and Beauty...  
  
  
Jupiter Oak...  
  
  
"FREEZE! You're under arrest!" shouted a Tokyo police officer from behind a park bench. The Senshi resisted the urge of rolling their eyes. The shout had broken the Senshi's concentration, and wasted whatever strength they had left inside them. "Get outta here!" Sailor Moon warned while dodging another attack.  
  
  
"Protecting the city is both of our jobs! Hero's don't stand alone you know!" the officer called just as his comrade was thrown against a tree. "Pathetic humans! You'll never stop us! I am just the harbinger of doom! The beginning of the end for your people!" the youma turned his full attention to the officer, "Now human, you shall be my first sacrifice!"   
  
  
  
By this time, Venus was desperately trying to hide her disgust towards the police officers, Mars was taking out a scroll to freeze the police officer, Jupiter was thinking about beating some sense into them, Mercury was trying to come up with a logical reason why they shouldn't be there, and Sailor Moon was worrying.  
  
  
"Holy great mother of ..." the police officer who had been thrown against the tree swore. Unfortunately for him, it was his comrade that was hit instantly by the Youma's razor-like claws.   
  
  
"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" Sailor Moon screamed running over to the fallen police officer. "Oh my god, ohmygod, ohmygod, ohmygod!" she sobbed. The police officer looked up at her through his glassy eyes.   
  
  
"Please... Sai- Sailor Moon.... giv-e this to... my son..." he whispered hoarsely as he ripped off his badge. Sailor Moon's eyes widened, "NO! You're going to be all right, just don't die please, you shouldn't have been here! You shouldn't have to die! What about your son?" Sailor Moon practically screamed at the man.  
  
  
The police man shook his head, "Only a fool wouldn't follow his destiny, this is mine." he whispered as a droplet of blood seeped from the corner of his mouth, "Tell my wife I lover her very much." "She knows... I'm sure she knows..." Sailor Moon cried gripping his badge in her gloved hands tightly. "Thank you Sailor Moon, please look out for my family... I love them so much..." he paused, "Tell my daughter not to be afraid, she's only a couple of years younger then you I think..." he coughed up droplets of blood. "Please Sailor Moon..." she nodded, "In the name of the Moon, you shall be avenged." she swore as the police officer finally shut his eyes.  
  
  
He was dead.  
  
  
Something inside Sailor Moon burned like a fire, and she guessed it was her vindictive soul crying out to avenge this father.  
  
  
She carefully laid his head down, and stood up slowly. The Sailor Senshi were still giving it their all, but she could tell they knew their efforts were fruitless.  
  
  
She knew.  
  
  
  
  
  
The moon seemed to shine directly on it's daughter, giving her a mystic air.   
  
  
It practically fell from the sky, and had not Sailor Moon been so focused, her scepter would have landed directly on her head. She seemingly reached up at the very last instant, and caught it. Her old scepter immediately elongated with the touch of her fingers to it, making her feel awkward holding her old Moon Scepter as Eternal Sailor Moon. She smiled evilly, striking a dramatic pose.  
  
  
She was going to maul this youma.  
  
  
"Hey you god damn piece of nega-sleeze! Yeah, I'm talking to you! You over-grown, dyslexic, piece of trash!" she screamed at the youma, seething in anger. The Senshi took a couple of steps back, and Jupiter waited in anticipation for attack, most of them not believing their eyes.  
  
  
"You are addressing me in such a way?" the youma asked. "No, I'm talking to the bush next to you moron, are you dense, or just plain stupid?" Sailor Moon taunted. "Why you little...!" The youma never got to finish.  
  
  
"Silver moon eternity blast!" Sailor Moon screamed her new attack.  
  
  
A flurry of silver shards of light blasted forth from her Scepter, and as the youma was turned into a pile of dust, Sailor Moon smiled.  
  
  
She whipped around to face the other police officer, "Take your comrade, bury him as you would a hero. He deserves it." And with that, the Sailor Senshi disappeared into the night.  
  
  
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The TV was the first thing Usagi heard as she entered the house. She was bone tired, and was still visibly shaking with the guilt and grief of the police officer. She drank a glass of water, having to hold it with two hands to keep from dropping it.  
  
  
"Usagi? Is that you dear?" Her mother called from the living room. "Hai okaa-san!" she called back weakly. "Usagi, come here! There's a report on the Sailor Senshi, those super-heros you're so into." her father called. Usagi froze, but then willed herself to walk into the room, staring blankly at the TV. "Uso, masaka..." she whispered  
  
  
"In a recent youma attack a police officer was killed and one fatally wounded. There were no traces of the Sailor Senshi every arriving on the scene, and the family of the fallen officer are contemplating if his death was the fault of the lack of the Sailor Senshi's appearance. His memorial service will be held on Saturday at noon. In further news..." Kenji shut off the TV set.   
  
  
"You know, that makes you wonder if the Sailor Senshi are even real." he mumbled thoughtfully. Usagi felt the color drain from her face as she fought back the tears.  
  
  
It was all her fault.  
  
  
"Usagi..Doushita no? Daijobu?" Ikuko questioned. Usagi nodded slowly, "Daijobu..." The plastic glass slid from her hand, and her body crumbled to the floor.  
  
  
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Hey guys! What did ya think? Email! Email! Email! Reviews are okay too!   
  
  
`.` Chibi Acky  
  
  
http://fly.to/hosm  
  
  
www.earthandmoon.homestead.com/chibivbabe.html  
  



	2. Raindrops and Cherry Blossoms

Hey guys! I'm taking another break from Be Still My Heart (it's almost done, yay!) and I bet you thought I was never going to finish this! Sorry, you're not that lucky! Okays, well the only thing I have to warn you about is the whole funeral thing... I was a bad girl and didn't do my research on Japanese funerals so it's based upon the Western "Style" (and I've never even been to one of those! It's just like the whole college thing in BSMH!) Well happy reading, Be Still My Heart (the second to last part) will most likely be up by next Monday!  
  
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Disclaimer: I hate these things, you all know what I'm going to say, so I'm not even going to bother this time...  
  
  
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"Nothing in life is to be feared. It is only to be understood."  
  
-- Marie Curie  
  
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"Hey Mina-chan, did you really go to Greece?" was the first thing Usagi heard when she woke up with a massive headache. "Un! It was great... Hey, what a minute! How the heck did they know that?" Minako's eyes practically bugged out of her head.   
  
Dead silence.  
  
"Hey do you think that Naoko Takeuchi person is from the Dark Kingdom?" Makoto wondered aloud. Usagi almost groaned. "Well look at the publishing company, Malachite's Manga!" Rei paused, "What kind of name is that?!" This time Usagi did groan, "Malachite is a pink stone also known as Kunzite." she mumbled sleepily.  
  
"Usagi?!"  
  
"Kunzite?"  
  
"What the-?!"  
  
"Well at least he's not attacking!"  
  
"Can't we just leave him alone, and hope he doesn't attack?"   
  
All four were cut off by an overly cheerful voice, "Usagi dear! Thank goodness you're awake, we were all getting so worried about you!" her mother called from the door. The Senshi jumped a mile into the air, "Doijabu okaa-san..." Usagi mumbled rubbing her sore head. The Senshi hovered over her like hawks searching for their prey. "I'll go call you father, he was especially worried. He almost called an ambulance!" Usagi fought the urge to roll her eyes, "Ja okaa-san!" she called as her mother exited the room.  
  
Ami had her computer out a split second after her mother closed the door, "Finally..." she muttered under her breath. "All right, how long have I been out guys?" Usagi inquired as the girls began to hover over Ami's shoulder. "About two days." Makoto answered still starring at Ami's computer screen. "Hey, what does this button do?" Makoto asked reaching over to push it. Ami slapped her hand away, "Don't touch!" Makoto rubbed her sore hand, "Well a simple, 'Please don't touch the button Makoto' would have done the trick!" she mumbled. Everyone sweatdropped.  
  
"So what's wrong with her Ami-chan?" Minako asked changing the subject. Ami snapped her computer shut, "Her energy was just drained, that's all. That was pretty neat what you did that night Usagi-chan!" Ami said enthusiastically. The memories of that night came slamming back into Usagi's head.  
  
The youma.  
  
The Scepter.  
  
The dead police man.  
  
The badge...  
  
Usagi began to cry softly. "Usa! What's wrong?" Rei asked thoroughly worried. Everyone glanced at her briefly before comforting Usagi. "The police officer... *sniff* he's dead... *sniff* It was all my fault!" she sobbed. "No Usa-" "YES IT WAS!" she screamed, "Yes it was..." she whispered. Rei pulled her into a hug, rocking her back and forth, "No one has ever died while I was trying to protect them... no one..." she whispered.  
  
Minako decided to lighten up the mood, "Hey Usagi-chan, you're such a lucky girl! Mamoru-san has been calling non-stop! I swear, he is going to have a killer of a bill after the week is over!" All the other Senshi began to nod, catching on to what Minako was doing. "Yeah, we had to practically beg him not to catch the next plane over!" Makoto said brightly. Usagi glared at her, "You *kept* him from coming?! Kami-sama! I haven't seen him in over a year!" she cried bitterly. Rei smacked Makoto with one of Usagi's pillow. Makoto caught it right before it hit her face, "Rei-chan, you little rat!" Makoto threw the pillow with all of her might...  
  
It hit Ami right in the face.  
  
"MAKO-CHAN!" Ami practically growled; Makoto shrank back in fear. Ami picked up the pillow and prepared to throw it at Makoto, but in the last instant, she changed directions, and hit Minako in the butt. Four pairs of jaws dropped, "Ami-chan?!" the all practically gasped. "What?" she asked innocently. At the moment, an enormous pillow fight erupted, and all of Usagi's fears, anger, and worry was swallowed up whole.   
  
"Usagi!" her mother called through the door, "Phone! It's that Mamoru fellow you're so fond of!" Everyone froze as Usagi instinctively squealed, "Mamo-chan!" She jumped off the floor where Makoto had been pounding the pillow into her face, and ran out the door, narrowly missing the four pillows aimed for her.  
  
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Usagi eagerly picked up the phone, "Mamo-chan?"   
  
There was a deep sigh of relief on the other side of the call, "Usako, daijobu ka?" came a husky voice. "Hai..." she mumbled. "Iie Usako, I can always tell when you're lying to me, please tell me what's bothering you." "Yamete Mamo-chan! Nothing's wrong!" she snapped. "Fine Usako, if you don't want to talk about it, I'll talk to you later." Usagi remained silent. "Sayonara Usako, call me when you're ready." Usagi's eyes began to water as she heard the other line click off. "Matte! MATTE! Mamo-chan! Come back..." she sobbed into the dial tone. The phone clunked to the ground as Usagi began to cry.  
  
"Okay, I don't care what you guys say, I have never seen Usagi-chan this upset over something so little as this!" Makoto whispered as they creeped back into Usagi's room. "Maybe this is hurting her more then she would like to admit." Ami suggested logically. "How so?" Rei asked, totally interested. Ami shook her head, "I don't know..." she mumbled. The three other girls in the room eyes widened as Ami said that. "What?" she asked. Makoto shook her head, "Nevermind... it doesn't matter." Minako said nothing as she sat by the window. "Hey Mina-chan, daijobu?" Rei asked placing a hand on her shoulder. Minako sighed deeply, "You guys just... oh I don't know... when I was Sailor V, I just... I couldn't save this one little girl..." her voice cracked, "She died because she was a fan of mine, she wandered on to a scene of a battle... and I... I just couldn't save her." Minako was still staring out the window. "Oh... Minako... I- we never knew..." Ami began. "So I have this guilt inside of me now, and I just- It just won't go away... so I know what Usa-chan is going through, she's feeling guilty about it, she blaming herself, and she feels like she let everyone down in a way." she finished, pulling her knees up to her chest. Makoto walked over slowly and gave her a hug, "Then we'll just have to go cheer her up, and you too!" she said in a fake cheerful voice. Minako laughed in a strangled way and shook her head, "Sorry guys, she just left about fifteen minutes ago."  
  
"NANI?!"  
  
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The afternoon Saturday sun gave no mercy to Usagi who was wearing pants and a turtle neck to hide her cuts and bruises from the previous battle the night before... but then again, it probably gave no mercy to anyone.  
  
That was until it started pouring freezing cold rain of course.  
  
Now she was drenched completely, her once bouncy (AN: The only way I can describe them! ^.^) Odangos now lay limp against her head, and her wet clothes clung to her. Oh, this is just SO incredibly original! she thought sarcastically (AN: I had Mamoru saying that in Be Still My Heart! ^^;) as she turned upon the graveyard. She mentally smacked herself. She was wearing a PINK turtle neck to a FUNERAL. She sighed, mocking her own stupidity, and continued towards the ceremony.  
  
Okay, so she was just a little late (when was she not?) and the actual ceremony was over... but there were still people there. The people around the coffin gave the sopping wet girl in the pink turtleneck a strange look as she slipped on the wet, lush grass. Usagi felt like crying. I'm such a klutz! No wonder why the police officer died! she laid on her back, about fifteen meters from where the coffin was, unmoving. Just watching the icy raindrops fall onto her face, washing away her tears. Okaa-san is going to kill me! I'm wet, and I'm going to have a wicked grass stain on my shirt and jeans! "Usagi-san?" a voice questioned from above her. The boy above her was dressed in a black tuxedo, holding a black umbrella over the both of them to shield them from the rain. Kyusuke. Usagi knew in a instant that the police officer was his father, she should have known to begin with, it was just her luck. "Usagi? Daijobu? Are you hurt?" Kyusuke asked squatting down. My pride more then my body "Daijobu. I'm not having a great day." she mumbled as he helped her into standing position. "Me either." he said gloomily, indicating the coffin. It was then that Usagi burst into tears, embracing the boy tightly.   
  
"Usag...Usagi... you're getting me all wet!" he cried into her waist. "It's okay, you can cry." she whispered, running a hand through his hair. "You're the one who's crying!" he cried. Usagi pulled away, and picked up the discarded umbrella, and handing it to the boy. "I have something for you..." she took his hand and led him towards one of the many chairs set up for the service, near one of the cherry trees that surrounded the whole graveyard. "Hey... um... that chair's pretty-" he began, "Wet? I'm already drenched so it doesn't really matter to me." she mumbled reaching into her back pocket and taking out a piece of cloth and handing it to him. "What's this?" he raised an eyebrow. "Open it." she urged, holding the umbrella over him. He slowly unfolded the cloth that Usagi had wrapped the badge in, letting the cloth fall to the dank ground silently.   
  
  
The world stood still for a minute it seemed to Usagi. Nothing moved, nothing spoke. "This is otou-san's badge..." he said softly, "How did you get this?" "Your father told me to give it to you... he loved you very much." she spoke, avoiding answering his question. The boy stared at the badge for a couple of minutes before looking back up at her, fighting back the urge to cry, "I ... I'd really like to think she was there... that she tried to save my father... I was hoping to show him my model I was building... I guess she had somewhere else to be... I know she would never abandon someone... no matter what my mother says." he gripped the badge in his palm. "Who?" Usagi inquired. "Sailor Moon..." his voice trailed off as he noted Usagi's reaction to the name. "Are you a big fan of Sailor Moon?" she asked, wiping away her tears. He nodded with an "Un!" "She was there you know, she's so weak though... she couldn't save your father... she was just too slow." she muttered burying her face in her hands. "Iie... don't say that Usagi-san! She's saved us so many times, she's so strong, and brave, and beautiful!" he paused when Usagi's face lit up with a smile, "I'm sure that my father was just trying to help without realizing what he was getting into." he looked away towards a falling cherry blossom, "It's raining and cold and yet that cherry tree and it's blossoms are still standing, still fighting against the winds. I think the Senshi are like that, I think my father was like that too."   
  
Usagi followed his gaze, "You're right, they are. I think we all are flowers, fragile to the touch yet they smell so sweet on the inside." he shook his head, "No, they're like our souls." Usagi gave him another hug, "You don't know how right you are kiddo." Kyusuke smiled, "You're just like Chibi Usa." he whispered. Usagi just had to hide a smile. Matte! He shouldn't remember her... is she here? A woman across from them began to wave frantically and Kyusuke groaned audibly, "That' my Okaa-san, I'd better go, Ja Usagi-san, thanks for everything!" he called running over to his mother. "Ja ne Kyuskue-san!" she called back.  
  
She watched Kyusuke walked over to his father's resting place under a tall old tree, holding his mother's hand tightly. Usagi wrapped her arms around herself, realizing how cold it had gotten. It was spring, and yet it was unusually cold that day. She held out her hands, palm up, and watched as the droplets of water bounced off her hand Where's the thunder? Where is the lightning? This isn't a natural storm!. Her eyes were vacant, they weren't really staring at anything. It was like she was just looking at words in a book, and not processing them in her mind, not reading them. Maybe her whole perception of the world was wrong. Heroes were everywhere around her, they weren't just the ones that had magical powers and the ones that saved the world. They were the ones that saved the people. That saved us from ourselves.   
  
  
She stood up slowly, only a few people had left and she intended to be one of them. She slowly walked away, her thoughts now on Chibi Usa. She couldn't be here... could she? That was impossible for Kyusuke to remember her unless she had rehypnotized him! Police cars zipped by, spraying water on the already drenched champion of love and justice, with their sirens blaring. She turned to face a store window and gasped at what she saw. Her eyes were puffy like mushrooms, and one of her Odangos had come partially undone. She laughed at her reflection, what a sight she must make! Her hair had been her pride and joy once, now it was just hair. Just like her, just a klutz. Just a stupid, slow, klutz. "Usagi-chan?" a voice called from across the street. "Hey Naru-chan!" she yelled back seeing Naru's reflection in the store window. "Geeze, you're soaking!" a male voice noted walking over. "Thanks Umino, I'm quite aware of that." she muttered. "Hey, don't get mad at me! I was just stating the obvious!" he cried innocently. "Usagi-chan, you're going to get sick if you stay out here much longer!" Naru warned. "Iie Naru-chan, she can't. It's impossible to get sick from the rain." Umino explained. Naru and Usagi sweatdropped. An army truck (AN: I have no idea what they are in Japan, anyone care to email me with stuff about the Japanese Military? Didn't think so...) flew down the street. "OH! That was so cool! Did you see that! That just made my day!" he cried pointing frantically after it. Usagi sweatdropped, "And I didn't?" Naru asked indignantly. Umino panicked, "No! No dear, it's just you don't see a military truck like that everyday on the streets of Tokyo!" he blubbered, still trying to cover his tracks. Usagi put a hand on her hips, "You're right... we usually don't... any idea why?" Umino nodded eagerly, "I just heard on the radio that it was a youma at- hey! Where'd she go?" Naru shrugged, "You probably said something that upset her... C'mon Okaa-san's going to fry me if we're late!"  
  
  
?^?^?^?^?^?^?^?^?^?^?  
  
  
"Heh he he he..." the monster cackled. It was a tombstone with arms and legs. Not to mention a nasty head of no hair, just wrinkled skin. It's red eyes lit up as the people around him were drained of their energy... very slowly... the painful way. Now where are those Sailor Senshi...? it thought as it scanned the area. It smashed it's headstone hands together creating a boom of thunder, surely enough to scare the Moon Princess. "Hold it right there... eh... thing! You're under arrest!" a police officer cried. Tombstonial turned around slowly, her red eyes gleaming, "What can I do for you boys?" she asked the half of the TPD (Tokyo Police Department) that was there, surrounding her? She raised her hands to the sky, and little black ghosts flew from the slots underneath her arms. They flew over to the group of officers directly in front of her, trapping them against the cherry trees, and sending the others scrambling. She grabbed the closest man to her and lifted him up in the air by the neck while screeching, "Now, I will smash your skull!" She raised her headstone hand, preparing to strike.  
  
  
"Sailor Moon... KICK!"  
  
  
A blur of feathers and white fuku wizzed past the discarded police officers, and directly into Tombstonial. She and the previously captured police officer rolled onto the damp ground, her ankle ringing from the impact. "Are you all right?" she asked the man, helping him to his feet. "Sailor Moon?" the man whispered in shock. She nodded, "Stay out of the way, tell them all to stay out of the way. Get the others out of here, and don't fire unless I tell you too. Don't shoot at it until I am dead, if the need arises, understood?" The man nodded dumbly, as she turned on her heels (careful not to slip- again) running back over the youma. "Ahhh... you are the one called Sailor Moon!" (AN: hahaha... does anyone get that? Didn't think so... ^^;) Tombstonial tittered as she circled her. Eternal Sailor Moon stood still, hurt from the mocking youma why am I acting like this? she mentally cried. The police officers around her stood still, most of them in shock, not quite knowing what to do. "For love and justice, I am the pretty sailor suited fighter... Sailor Moon! How dare you fight on these grounds, have you no shame? In the name of the moon, I will punish you!" she asked icily. "I am Tombstonial! I've come to do the honor of burying you six feet under!" she lunged at Sailor Moon, who dropped to a knee to avoid the hit. "You have improved." it hissed from the ground. What is that supposed to mean? "Yeah, well I've had enough practice! So why don't you just crawl back into what ever dark dimension you came from and die! We don't want you here!" she yelled sending a flying kick in it's direction, which was easily blocked. "Not without the knowledge of you dead, and the ginzuishou in my hands!" it screamed. Sailor Moon kicked her, sending her flying back, "No one else is going to die, and YOU CAN'T HAVE MY CRYSTAL!" she huffed. The youma slammed it's hands together as hard as she could sending Sailor Moon and the officers within the nearest fifty feet flying.  
  
Usagi felt her body slam against a cherry tree, thousands of the blossoms floated down around her. The police officers were yelling something at her... but she couldn't hear them.. I can't hear! I CAN'T HEAR! she mentally screamed. She had been too close to the youma, the sound must have deafened her! She was knocked onto the ground by the youma, slamming into it full force. I have to get out of here, this is no place to fight! She got up, weakly, and began running screaming something to the effect of, "Catch me if you can!" but not hearing it out of her mouth. She couldn't even hear the youma behind her, she had to glance back to make sure it was following her. It wasn't the only thing. Most of the police officers and guest of the funeral had begun to sneak behind them and hide behind bushes. Usagi flew up in the with her wings, dodging the cherry blossom trees as she flew over them and into the empty green field behind them. She landed and turned in time to see the youma fly over her. Usagi had to duck to narrowly miss her. It's impossible to fight her without my hearing!  
  
  
She took out her scepter, noticing it's appearance. The once pink and red scepter was now a dull silver.   
  
  
Just like the Queens.   
  
"Silver moon eternity blast!" she tried to scream. My voice? I know I can't hear but... I know when I'm talking! What is going on?! she felt like crying. Her wings felt ten times as heavy when they were wet, and nothing on her body seemed to be moving. Help! Mamo-chan! Senshi! Mother... oh Kami! 'Only a fool wouldn't follow his destiny...' the officer's voice rang in her head. This... this isn't my destiny! I have to follow mine! Help! Mamo-chan! Somebody! Please! The youma swooped down, smacking Sailor Moon repeatedly with it's headstones until her stomach, legs, and arms were bleeding, and she fell to the ground. The youma had knocked her sceptor away from her. Still, she could move. The youma sat on her, crushing her ribs and airways from her chest, and gripping her shoulders. The once green grass had turned into mud, and they were slowly sinking into it. Tombstonial grinned wickedly, touching her brooch. There was a flash of light, and suddenly, Usagi's senses came pounding back into her. Her movement, speed, and hearing had improved... it had basically reversed what the youma had done to her. Tombstonial realized that she couldn't touch the brooch, it was too powerful on Sailor Moon. She was still trapped underneath Tombstonial, so she had the benefit.   
  
Without any hesitation, the youma ripped her brooch off, tossing it to the ground to avoid the burn of it's touch. Sailor Moon slowly turned back into Usagi, and there were several gasps heard as the surrounding people discovered her identity. "You lose little princess. Time for you to take a long nap!" she pushed Sailor Moon as hard as she could into the dirt, and Usagi heard a crack, knowing without any medical knowledge that two of her ribs were broken.   
  
It hurt.  
  
It hurt so bad.  
  
Usagi bit her lip to keep from crying. She would not cry. She began to slowly sink into the mud, not moving. Maybe this was her destiny. The future was always changing.   
  
"Pink Sugar Heart Ache!" a little voice cried from above Usagi and Tombstonial. It hurt Usagi to have Chibi Usa, her daughter- her only daughter, see her at defeat. "No! Go Chibi Moon!" she yelled weakly when the youma had looked up to see who had caused it. Usagi was still too weak to struggle to get out of the mud, and it rose to her nose, until she was fully underground. I can't breathe! MAMO-CHAN!! HELP ME!!  
  
  
^()^()^()^()^()^()^()^()  
  
  
"NO!" Chibi Usa screamed throwing herself onto the youma's back, pounding as hard as she could. "Get off you little worm!" it screamed as it threw her to the ground with a *thud*.   
  
  
"Hey pick on someone your own size!" a voice yelled from above.   
  
"Venus love and beauty... SHOCK!" the youma was thrown back, and it skidded along the damp grass. "Chibi Moon, are you all right?" Mars questioned running over to the little girl. Chibi Usa pushed past her and the others to where Usagi was buried alive, and she began to frantically dig, staining her gloves with mud.   
  
"All together Senshi, give it everything you got, aim towards the gem on the neck!" Mercury shouted through the rain.  
  
"Mercury Crystal Power!"  
  
  
"Mars Crystal Power!"  
  
  
"Jupiter Crystal Power!"  
  
  
"Venus Crystal Power!"  
  
  
"Sailor Planet ATTACK!"  
  
  
"Your Princess is dead, I can die with that knowledge!" the youma shrieked before it was blown into dust by the Senshi's powerful attack.  
  
  
"Great job.... guys... what is Chibi Usa doing?" Jupiter began.  
  
  
"What is she doing here is more like it." Mercury corrected.  
  
"Oh Kami-sama!" Mars screamed seeing the Odango Chibi Usa's hands had managed to dig up. She was down on her knees next to her, digging frantically while screaming, "Usagi! SAILOR MOON!" The others rushed to help, and when the had finally gotten her out of the dirt, her face of blue. Mercury immediately began CPR, getting her breath back to normal. She pulled out her computer as Venus' eyes widened, "She's not transformed, why hasn't she transformed... where's the crystal? Mars! Jupiter! No... wait Chibi Moon go find her brooch!" Venus barked and the little girl scrambled to go find it. "Two ribs are broken, she's cut up pretty bad, I think we should bring her to the hospital." Mercury took a step back, and Mars swooped in, gather Usagi to her chest. "Iie! We can't go there, everyone here now probably knows she's Sailor Moon!" she cried. "You would dare to risk her health like that? This is not a game Sailor Mars!" Jupiter yelled. "I know that!" she screamed, "I know that!" she whispered more softly. "We'll bring her home then." Venus said firmly. "Venus! That's the first place they'd go to! The press would hound her!" Jupiter argued. "Ami knows how to help her ribs and wrap them! She could stop by her place to pick up the supplies!" Venus fought back. "The press is going to have a field day! Look, they're already here!" Jupiter waved her hands in the directions of the newly arrived news trucks and vans. "We'll get them to think that she's not home! She wouldn't want to wake up anywhere else!" Venus shouted. "Quiet down you two, you're fighting like children!" Mercury snapped, "We'll go with Venus' plan, and I'll go get whatever I need while you guys explain what happened to the Tsukinos, got it? We'll get a plan from there!" They all nodded, "Chibi Moon, did you find it?" asked Venus urgently when she saw the police and news cameras running towards them. Chibi Usa nodded and held it up, "Go ahead guys, I'll catch up!" she shouted. "BE CAREFUL!" all four shouted before teleporting with Usagi to her room.  
  
  
()()()())))()()()())))()()()()   
  
  
"Panaphobia is the fear of everything. Homophobia is the fear of ..." The professor continued to drone on, much to Mamoru Chiba's distress.   
  
I can't hear! I CAN'T HEAR! a voice screamed in his head, he clutched his head, trying to duck from the class. "Mr. Chiba, are you all right?" the professor questioned his prize student, who was making a mad dash (and stumbling) through the other students.  
  
  
Help! Mamo-chan! Senshi! Mother... oh Kami! he dropped to his knees in pain, still gripping his head.  
  
Mamo-chan! Somebody, help me! Please!  
  
I can't breathe! MAMO-CHAN!! HELP ME!! he clutched his chest, falling against a wall, nearly tumbling down the many layers of seats at one of the many Harvard Medical School classrooms. "Mr. Chiba?" the professor rushed towards him. "It's his appendix!" one student shouted. "He has stomach cramps!" another one shouted. "I knew he shouldn't have eaten so much chocolate!" a male voice called jumping down the steps towards where the Professor and Mamoru were. "Mr. Grey, you're his dorm mate, bring him to the infirmary!" he barked as Jack Grey nodded, throwing Mamoru over his shoulder. A couple of girls sighed at the sight of Mamoru passing by. Damn, even when he's unconscious! He always gets the girls, and he always turns them down! Jack thought greenly.  
  
MAMO-CHAN!! HELP ME!! "Usako..." he mumbled. "Usako..." he continued to mumble her name until they got to the infirmary, where Jack grabbed the nearest magazine and began reading as Mamoru was taken into a room to be "treated."  
  
  
^!^!^!^!^!^!^!^!^!^!^!^!^!^!  
  
  
Mamoru groaned, placing a hand to his head. He opened his eyes, panicking because of not knowing where he was. The infirmary? How did I get here? He could recognize the stench of the building anywhere, having worked here on weekends. It always smelled stale and like sharp metal to him. He did like it. "How long have I been asleep?" he wondered aloud. "About seven hours. You know for someone they couldn't find anything wrong with, you sure slept like you were drugged or something!" Jack mumbled throwing the magazine aside. Mamoru looked up to see his room mate sitting in the corner of the room in a dull hospital chair. "Were you here the whole time?" Mamoru questioned, sitting up. "More or less, I had to protect you from the nurses you know, they're in love with you." Jack rolled his eyes and Mamoru joined him, "Really Jack, I didn't know you cared." Jack walked over to the side of his bed and took his hand in a mock- caring way, "I love you man, I'll always care for you! Even if the stars and the moon stop shinning and the earth stops twirling... I will always love yooooouuuuu!" "Jack!" Mamoru coughed. There were four nurses standing at the door, watching him. "What are you looking at? Can't you see we're trying to have a private discussion here? I just read in that Teen People magazine over there that the key to relationships is to have intimate discussions! Is that all right with you?" Jack said in a sassy gay voice (AN: No one take offense to that, I'm sorry but that was the only way I could word it and you would understand.) Two of the nurses slowly backed away, one handed Jack a newspaper, the other a blushing, beet red, Mamoru a glass of water. Then they too slowly began to back away into the hall. Jack pinched one of their butts, "You have some fine booty girl! Get along now!" the girl ran out of the room as fast as she could.  
  
  
"Uh... thanks?" Mamoru (who was still bright red) offered. "Anytime man, anytime." Jack mumbled unfolding the newspaper. Mamoru took a sip of the water, knowing it was going to taste stale and awful. "NO WAY!" Jack cried excitedly, "They found out Sailor Moon's identity! I thought they were just a myth!" Mamoru sprayed the water from his mouth, and then began to choke on the rest of it. Jack began to pat his back until the hacking stopped. The newspaper had fallen onto Mamoru's bed and he snatched it up, staring at the picture. There it was front page, above the fold.   
  
"THE MASKED MAIDEN UNMASKED"   
  
  
That was the headline. Below it was a picture of the Scouts crouching around something... brown... and pink? Jack tried to snatch the paper back, but Mamoru pulled it away and slapped his hand. "Mine!" he said simply. He stared at the picture again, wishing he had his glasses with him. Jack reached over and handed his glasses to him, "How did you-" he began. "Your talking out loud retard! Your glasses were with you in class so I pocketed them for you." But Mamoru wasn't listening, he was too busy reading the article. A police officer died? They thought it was her fault? No wonder why she was acting like that on the phone! I shouldn't have been so hard. "Dude, I thought Sailor Moon was supposed to be pretty, she looks pretty bad in that picture!" Jack exclaimed. Mamoru whacked him on the head, "She's much prettier in person!" Jack rubbed his head, "And how would you know that?" Mamoru ignored him, "Where is she in the picture?" "She's in the arms of the one in red-" "Sailor Mars" "- behind the one in yellow" It's orange! "Sailor Venus" Oh Kami... that ... that was his Usako? His angel? He burst out into tears right then and there.  
  
  
I can't breathe! MAMO-CHAN!! HELP ME!! her voice echoed in his mind as he took off his glasses and covered his face with his hands. Jack stared at him, "You okay man?" Woah, I don't think anyone's ever seen him cry! "Read me the article..." Mamoru whispered in a muffled voice from behind his hands. Jack cleared his throat and began to read:  
  
  
"Tokyo, Japan"  
  
"Great way to start that off, it just builds the suspense!" Jack muttered. "Keep reading!" Mamoru snapped.  
  
"At the funeral of Tokyo Police officer there was anything but a peaceful resting place in the cemetery. There were unusually cold rains and temperatures for Japanese spring, flooding roads and highways. The Police officer was put to rest after a confrontation  
with what the Japanese call a... ooma?" Jack stopped at the uncommon word. "Youma." Mamoru corrected with his hands still covering his face. "Whatever, it's still ooma to me."  
  
"Last Wednesday when the police officer and his partner were caught up in a fight with the Sailor Senshi and a ooma. One was fatally wounded, and the other died after be stabbed by multiple wounds caused by the ooma. The family had started to question if the Sailor Senshi had actually been there or not, but sources confirm that they were on the battle scene, yet were unable to save the officer. The funeral was uneventful until another   
ooma appeared and began to drain energy from the funeral guests. Sailor Moon arrived the scene just in time to save one officer from being strangled to death by the ooma which called itself "Tombstonial" which described it perfectly said one of the guests. "She [Sailor Moon] said to stay out of the way, and to get the victims out the way. She warned not to fire unless she died... I don't think anyone wanted to go against her wishes." says Officer Berkley, the man she saved from being strangled to death." Mamoru groaned as Jack continued, "The ooma and her proceeded to engage in battle until the ooma slammed it's hands (which were made from headstones) together forming some sort of sonic wave, throwing her back a dozen feet and into a tree. "She began to panic as if something was wrong, we were all screaming for her to move but she didn't, and the ooma slammed her down onto the ground. We were all getting worried." Berkley explained to the news reporters gathered outside the cemetery."  
  
I can't hear! I CAN'T HEAR! he understood what she was talking about now...  
  
"Blah, blah, blah, Oh! Here's the good part! She flew up into the air, leading the ooma to the back lot of the cemetery, trying to keep it away from the bodies put to rest there. "When she got there, she was frozen. It was like she couldn't move! The ooma just keep hammering her, and we couldn't go out and help... that hurt to see our heroine being bashed around like that." another onlooker said before adding, "It tried to touch some... brooch I guess... on her chest and there was this blinding flash of light, I mean it was pure light... almost soothing in a way. Then she started moving again, but I guess it was too late, and the ooma buried her alive!" Jack looked up to see his friend's reaction. Mamoru was gripping the white pristine sheets tightly, just staring at nothing in particular.   
  
Jack continued, "According to multiple accounts, a "Pink haired Sailor Soldier" appeared from no where, managing to distract the ooma and jumping on his back." Mamoru would have laughed in any other situation, but not this one Chibi Usa? Jack went on, "Then the four other Senshi arrived on the scene two minutes too late. They managed to defeat the ooma by combining their powers in a "beautiful display of lights" while the smaller pink Senshi (or soldier in Japanese) began to try to dig up Sailor Moon. The Senshi managed to lift her out, and Sailor Mercury appeared to administer CPR, bringing air back into her airways. They disappeared with another light display, leaving only the pink one to search for something that was lost. For a profile on Usagi Tsukino, otherwise known as Sailor Moon, go to A2." Jack finished and turned to the next page. "You're right, she is very pretty." he commented when he saw her senior picture from the current year. Mamoru nodded, still processing the information. "Geeze, they have everything in here about her! Grades... ouch... junior high looked a little rough... she's up to a "B+" average now though... hmmm... she hates-"  
  
"Carrots." Mamoru said dully.   
  
Then came the explosion.  
  
"How DARE they publish all this information about her! They had no right to even put her picture in the paper...who gave them... Umino... when I get my hands on him I will WRING HIS NECK!" he screamed. Jack raised an eyebrow, "You're sure protective of her." Mamoru swung his legs over the side of the bed, "I'm leaving for Japan now, I'll call you when I get there." he said pulling his IV out, and standing up. He walked towards the door, "Uh Mamoru?" Mamoru turned sharply, "Yes?" "Your pants." Jack indicated. "What about them?" Mamoru questioned. Jack sighed, "You're not wearing any." he said handing Mamoru his jeans. Mamoru took them, "Right. I knew that." "Sure you did, man, sure you did." he laughed. Mamoru pulled his shirt on and exited out the door. Jack ran after him and handed him his glasses, "Bring me back... like chopsticks or something..." Mamoru nodded, "Sure, thanks for everything." Jack nodded, "Go get her, make sure she's okay." Mamoru nodded back and began to push the door open the whirled around. Jack sighed, "Your secret's safe with me, now GO!" he kick Mamoru out of the door.  
  
  
Mamoru waited in line at the airport impatiently, Move it people, come one... we're not old grampas here... nevermind... he mentally sighed realizing the man holding up the line was in fact a grandpa with all twelve of his grandchildren with him. The only topic in the whole airport was "Sailor Moon this..." and "I met her once..." and "She saved the world..." and "Poor girl... I hope she's okay" Mamoru tried to ignore them, but he could help but worry himself.  
  
"Hello Sir, how can I help you?" the lady at the counter asked a bit too cheerfully. "I'd like to book the soonest passage to Tokyo, Japan." he answered. "Do you have your passport?" she questioned. Mamoru handed it to her. He was using his only flight credits on this. But it was worth it, she was worth it. Even if he was still a little freaked out about going on airplanes after the whole Galaxia episode. He shuddered, that was the worst time in his life. "Are you going to try to catch a glimpse of Sailor Moon too?" asked a young man behind him. Mamoru stiffened, "No, I'm going to see my fiancee." he snapped rather harshly. "Here's your ticket and passport sir your flight is in ten minutes at gate A34, have a great flight!" Mamoru snatched them out of her hands and began to run towards the gate with his only carry-on bag, containing mostly school work and a jacket.  
  
He was going home to see her.  
  
Finally.  
  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Gosh, this is 15 pages long! Eeeps! And it's 2:18 AM in the morning! I think I might have rushed the ending just a little bit, but the next one is going to be really good and sad. I hope this isn't going to be as long as BSMH, but with me, you never know! *^.^*  
  
luvs and hugs  
  
Chibi Acky ^.^  
  
*(*)(*)*()*()*()*()  
  
http://fly.to/hosm  
  
http://anime.at/senshivenus  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  



	3. Eyes I Cannot Meet

"I'm worried Artemis, what if this is something they can't handle?"  
  
"Hush Luna, you know the girls are ready for anything!"  
  
"Hai Artemis, but will they be ready to face themselves?"  
  
_________________________  
  
Authors Note: Hiya, I'm baaaaaaccckkk! I know, that's like the most overused line in the world (that and " -insert name- I am your father!") but hey, it still works. Okay, now we are getting down to some action! (Finally) Anyways, to feed my Ranma 1/2 cravings, this will sooner or later become a crossover. That's right, I've got the whole thing planned out in my mind! Unfortunately, I'm having a bit of trouble with Be Still My Heart (*sniff* *sniff* I've never had writers block before, it's scaring me!) SO FOR THE LOVE OF GOD: Some one give me direction, tell me what you would like to read about! Please? I'm to the point where I might not finish the series, and that would be a sad thing for me, that is the longest fanfiction I've ever written! Okays, well anyways, here goes nothing. I would say this one is much better then the last, but that's kinda reserved for BSMH. So here we go!  
  
------------------------------H---E---R---O---S ----------------------------  
  
Eyes I cannot not meet   
  
____________________________  
  
Disclaimer: You know, from now on, I'm just gonna stick this stupid thing at the bottom. I hate scrolling past these, they suck. Really. They do.  
  
____________________________  
  
  
"Good mornin' sunshine, Venus says hello!"  
  
"Minako! Shut up!"  
  
"It's 'the Earth says hello' Mina-chan."  
  
"Same difference, Venus is a nicer planet!"  
  
Silence.  
  
"You wanna take that up with Mamoru-san? I'm sure he won't be pleased about that comment."  
  
"Venus is considered Earth's twin you know..."  
  
"SHUT UP! SHUT UP! SHUT UP! What if Usagi-chan wakes up with a major headache?"  
  
"She is up baka! Duh, even I saw that!"  
  
"You guys are louder then you think you are." Four heads turned to see the small figure in the bed.   
  
"You are up!" Rei exclaimed. Usagi tried not to roll her eyes, "Yes Rei-chan, Mina-chan pointed that out awhile ago."   
  
"You don't have to be mean about it baka!"  
  
"Baka?!"  
  
"Thhhbbbbbb!"  
  
"Oh yeah, THHHHBBBBB!"  
  
"Good to see things are normal... well sorta..." Artemis' voice trailed off. Usagi opened her eyes fully this time. Makoto was in the corner flipping through some of Usagi's old manga (again), Ami was reading quietly (again), and Minako was ... well... Usagi wasn't sure what Minako was doing.   
  
"Uh... V- babe?"  
  
"Yeah?" she replied darkly.  
  
"What are you doing by the window?"  
  
"Counting the police cars, reporters, and news vans camped outside of your house." she said evenly, still with a dark expression on her face.   
  
"NANI?!" Usagi screeched.  
  
"Don't you remember what happened?" Makoto asked sitting down on the side of Usagi's pink bed. Usagi blinked slowly as she smoothed out her comforter with her fingers, tracing the pink bunnies jumping over the moon.  
  
"I remember being cold, dark, hurt, and alone. Then I remember disbelief as it tore my brooch away, and being scared when the people started recognizing. I remember being buried alive, and Chibi Usa screaming. I remember crying for any of you and Mamo-chan to show up. I remember I felt like I was going to die, that my destiny had changed in a blink of an eye. Yes Mako-chan, I remember it quite well." she whispered, her voice cracking towards the end. The other Senshi just stared at her, A simple 'Yes' Mako-chan would have been adequate. Makoto thought, mouth agape.  
  
Minako may do poorly in school, she may mess up every quote she possibly could, and she could been a little dense with happiness at times, but she sure as hell knew how to cheer people up.  
  
"GROUP HUG!" she cried, hugging her princess. The others lunged towards Usagi, enveloping her in a massive hug.   
  
"Usagi-chan, we're so sorry we weren't there!"  
  
"It's all our faults!"  
  
"We love you Usa-chan, we're so sorry!"  
  
"We'll always protect you, don't you worry girlfriend!"  
  
"Ribs... RIBS... AHHHH!"  
  
"You heard the girl Rei-chan, go get her some ribs!"  
  
"I think she meant that we were hurting her ribs."  
  
The broke away simultaneously, and their apologies soon became no more then gibberish in Usagi's mind. Ah Ami, always the observant one. What would I do without her? What would I do without any of them?   
  
  
"Did... Is Chibi Usa here?" she asked in a mere whisper. It was so low that the Senshi weren't sure they had heard it or not.   
  
"Hai Usagi, I'm here." came a little voice from the doorway. Five heads whipped towards the flamingo haired girl in the doorway. Her pink hair was in the normal odangos, slightly longer then the previous years perhaps, but just as pink. She was wearing one of Usagi's old junior high uniforms, and Usagi realized with a slight smile, that she was probably going to have to donate some of her old clothing to the needy Chibi Usa Foundation. A cause that was definitely worth it.  
  
"Come over here and give your, nearly deceased, future mother a hug." Usagi opened her arms, and the younger girl immediately launched herself into them, crawling up onto the bed.   
  
"I thought you were going to die!" Chibi Usa cried, still clutching Usagi's pink nightgown. This was definitely not like Chibi Usa, something had to be wrong. Very wrong. Usually the little girl had the tendency to be... well... rather nasty and brattish.  
  
To her at least.  
  
"Ha! It takes more then a being buried alive to kill the champion of love and justice!" She tried desperately to lift the mood, but failed miserably. "Look Usagi-chan, everyone knows you're Sailor Moon now, everyone. You've been getting calls non stop from news reporters, and some lady from 20/40 or whatever... I think her name was like Barbera Waiters or something." Makoto managed to smirk with the rest of the girls at the upcoming part, "You're father told her to take her tv show and... '...stick it where the sun don't shine, because you ain't talkin' to my little girl!" Usagi and the others managed to laugh, Usagi nearly had to force it. The others didn't catch it.  
  
"Anyways Usagi-chan, we've really got to be going... we promised our families we'd be back by noon today, and it's already one o'clock." Rei gathered herself from the chair, brushing a hand through her bedraggled hair.   
  
"You guys! Go! Great, I've just become Usagi- Princess of the Problems." Usagi sighed sadly, and Chibi Usa patted her hand.   
  
Rei walked up to her and gave her a *soft* hug, "Usa, you're never a problem to us, we'd do anything for you... don't you forget that, you hear me?" The other Senshi nodded in agreement.  
  
"And if you're ever in trouble, or some stupid person is giving you a hard time for being who you are, just call us and we'll beat the stuffing out of them! Right girls?" Ami yelled. The others stared at her blankly, and Minako reached over slowly, putting a hand to Ami's forehead. Ami had the decency to blush as the three other Inner Senshi chorused with a rather loud and hearty: "RIGHT!"  
  
"Ja ne!" Usagi called as the girls disappeared through the bedroom door. Chibi Usa, who had retreated to the bedroom window began to grin. "What's so funny?" Usagi asked, shakily getting out of bed. "Just watch..." Chibi Usa whispered pointing towards the departing Inner Senshi.  
  
  
"Are you friends with-"  
  
"GET OFF THE GOD DAMN LAWN!" Makoto roared. Every camera man and woman took a step back onto the sidewalk, holding their breathes as one foolish man continued to block their path.  
  
"Yes you've told us that but-"  
  
"Get off the lawn before we RIP YOUR HEAD OFF! You insensitive jerk! She has feelings too you piece of scum!"  
  
"Yes I hear that a lot but miss-"  
  
"ETCHI! ETCHI!" Minako screeched at the top of her lungs, "This man is putting the moves on me!"  
  
The news reporter obviously looked confused, but the leader of the Inner Senshi continued to scream until the other female reporters gave the male reporters nasty looks. Meanwhile, Ami, Rei, and Makoto had made it past all the other reporters, dodging the flashes of photographers and microphones pointed at their faces.   
  
"NO! Usagi-chan! Darnit, she's running away behind the house! You'd better hurry and catch her before she gets to Tokyo Harbor! Her family has a boat there, and they were planning on sailing to ... er... the United States!"  
  
In the blink of an eye, the reporters scrambled back into vans, packing up the trucks at lightning speed, and disappearing without a trace down the busy streets of Juuban.  
  
"I CANNOT believe they fell for that..." Usagi muttered in disbelieve, shaking her head.  
  
"That's the third time they've fallen for something like that, I swear they're getting more convincing every time." Chibi Usa paused and put a finger to her chin, "Well either that or the reporters are getting stupider, but either way it works as long as the reporters are gone."  
  
"Right you are." Usagi agreed, patting her future daughter on the head.  
  
"Now you can come downstairs! We have a surprise for you!" Chibi Usa said excitedly.  
  
"If it's not Mamo-chan, I'm not interested." Usagi sniffed sadly.   
  
"..."  
  
"All right, I'll be down in a second, lemme get ready okay?" she stood up, stretching her shaky legs, "Hey Chibi Usa-chan?" she called as the little girl was exiting the room.  
  
"Hai Usagi-chan?"  
  
"Thank you. For saving me I mean, and for... uh.. well being here. Thank you."  
  
The young girl smiled brightly, "You're welcome." then she merrily skipped out the door, leaving Usagi alone. She grabbed a blue shirt and shorts out of the drawer and placed them on her bed. She took of her nightgown slowly, evading any pain that could be avoided. She ran a finger along one of the bandages across her ribcage, wondering if Ami had done it. She glanced at her body, noticing that wasn't the only bandage. She had a couple on her thigh and one on her arm. The one on her chest was the most painful, and Usagi didn't doubt that she had broken a couple ribs. She began the task of putting her new clothes on. Getting them through her bad arm and leg was a little difficult, but nothing she couldn't handle.  
  
  
_________________ b_r_o_k_e_n___________________  
  
Usagi, after she had finished dressing, walked over to the bathroom, twisting the door open with her shaky hands. It scared her to death what happened last night, but she would never let anyone know that. Knowing that she was weak. Weak, weak, weak, some one who couldn't even defend herself, some one who had to rely on others to take care of everything for them. Weak, weak, weak. In a morbid way, she almost wished she had died, then maybe she could be happy. No more fighting, just peace. That was being selfish of her though, she should have know the peace wouldn't last, she should have known it was too good to be true. Stupid, stupid, stupid. No matter now, she was alive. Alive and kicking. As long as she was, she promised herself, she would never let anyone take over Earth. Take over what was hers to protect. No one.  
  
She put her hands on the sink, steadying herself. She blinked away the sleep in her eyes before looking in the mirror...  
  
... and nearly screamed. Sure she had noticed a couple of new silver highlights in her hair after the police officer... died... her mind was working fast now. What in the hell is going on? Her once blonde and golden hair was now a shimmering silver, white in the light. It fell past her ankles and onto the floor, even in her messy odangos. Amazing, truly. She didn't even feel the extra weight! It's longer then I am! She sighed, knowing she'd have to cut it to avoid any unnecessary attention and klutz attacks. Usagi ran a hand through her new found hair, enjoying the softness of it before running, weakly mind you, back into her room and grabbing the pink scissors off her desk, glancing around for Luna. She must be downstairs trying to explain everything... poor thing...   
  
Once Usagi had walked (you never run with scissors- her mother taught her that) back into the bathroom, she set the scissors down on the counter, and began the task of undoing and twisting her buns back into place. Her hair, unleashed, had formed a small pile on the floor. I think the girls forgot to tell me something when I woke up, I think they forgot to tell me a lot of things... She washed her face, feeling more refreshed after doing so. She undid her odangos, letting her hair fall to her knees this time. She twisted it into a braid, and wraped it into a crown braid. Her eyes were red and puffy, and Usagi realized that she had been crying the whole time. I crying.... why am I still crying? She scrubbed at her eyes, whisking the tears away. C'mon girl, you're stronger then this! Get it together!   
  
She almost laughed bitterly at herself. Oh yeah, she was so strong. She just stared at the mirror in shock, a small dark figure had formed it in, it was the outline of someone... but was it a male or female? She couldn't tell. All it was wisps of darkness with red eyes, glaring at her, almost staring through her.   
  
"Serenity... Serenity..." it whispered evilly.  
  
"Stop it! Go away!" she managed to whisper, even though it was meant to be a command.  
  
"Serenity... you're friends are going to die.... Serenity.... Serenity what will you do?" it's flagitious voice was in her mind now.  
  
"I'll protect them, I'll protect everyone!" she challenged.  
  
"How will you protect them when you are dead Serenity... Serenity... who will protect you?"  
  
"Shut up! Shut up! SHUT UP!" She was expecting her parents to barge into the room with all the noise she was making.  
  
"How will they protect you when they're all dead?"  
  
Usagi grabbed the scissors of the counter and threw them at the mirror. All the evil voice did was laugh, at her, and at her weakness. The mirror cracked and shattered with the effort of her throw. She brought her hands up to her face to protect it as the glass flew everywhere, down the drain, on the floor, and on the counter top. They sparkled in the florescent bathroom lights, but the shadow figure still danced upon each one, mocking her.  
  
"We will meet again... Serenity..." The voice was in the air now. It disappeared and Usagi leaned against the wall, slowly sliding down until she was in a sitting position. Her breaths came out slowly, and she let out a choked sob, picking up the pieces of the glass mirror that were surrounding her. Her palm slid against a sharp edge of a piece of glass shaped like a triangle. Funny it didn't feel like anything, she just watched the crimson liquid flow from her palm. She took a towel that was lying near her (Shingo had the habit of leaving them on the floor.... or maybe that was her...) and wrapped it around her hand. Okaa-san is going to have a fit. she thought, using a towel to wipe up the rest of the glass into the blue trash can. Happy with her fine job of cleaning, she left the bathroom and made a detour towards her room, throwing the bloody towel into her hamper and inspecting her hand.   
  
The cut wasn't very deep, that's why it has stopped bleeding so soon, she supposed. Maybe she had imagined the blood.  
  
Maybe. Probably not.  
  
She walked out of her room, straightening her clothes and nervously running a hand along her braided hair. She hadn't seen her parents since the day before, she was worried that they... they wouldn't think of her quite in the same way. That they'd act differently, almost afraid and ashamed of her. The only person that was ashamed though was Usagi, she had lied to her parents for years, run off in the middle of the night and made up excuses. Excuses that would make her lie to run off and save the world. Excuses the broke her.  
  
She took each of the stair steps carefully, almost like she was taking them one day at a time. Going down the steps could be very symbolic, you see, steps were like days in way. You start at the top, the beginning, and you get to the end and you're at the end. Well, it made sense to Usagi at least. She made it to the bottom, she heard the sounds of the TV on, and her mother in the kitchen. Lunch must have just ended, Usagi's stomach realized with a grumble, and she was starving. She took a step into kitchen, freezing at the doorway.  
  
  
All of her fighting as Sailor Moon, seeing a man switch into a women, anything becoming a youma, never mind the rest of her experience, and never prepared her for this.   
  
"THAT'S IT!" she cried as five pairs of eyes turned to meet her figure at the doorway. Usagi threw her hands up in air, "I'm going crazy... I am going bloody insane! I wake up and my hair is sliver, then I'm seeing people in the mirrors, then I come downstairs to find my fiancee who is SUPPOSED to be in America studying to fulfill his dream as a doctor, teaching my father- the same one who threatened to cut his privates off and shoot him with a rifle, if he ever came near me- how to throw a rose! And they're not even fighting! Nevermind that all, I haven't even tripped once today but I managed to cut myself! I'm just going to go back to bed..." she turned around slowly.   
  
Mamoru and Kenji stared at the silver haired girl in surprise. "Uh... Usagi-chan, watch out. Shingo left his skateboard in the house- even though I told him not to- and it's right by the -" Ikuko was cut off by a wail. Mamoru was there in a flash, catching Usagi before she fell. Kenji blinked, Man, that kid moves fast... Ikuko wondered if she had seen him.  
  
"I'm so stupid! Stupid, stupid, stupid! I'm such a klutz!" Usagi cried into Mamoru chest.   
  
"Yes, but you're my klutz." Mamoru said lovingly into her hair.  
  
"That line only works so many times Mamo-chan..."  
  
"But did it work this time?"  
  
"Of course, because you said it." Mamoru gave her a kiss on the forehead, feeling Kenji's eyes burn into his back. He winced slightly. Just play it cool...  
  
"Mamo-chan, I thought you were so mad at me!" she sobbed in his arms. He began to sway her back and forth.  
  
"No Usako, just out of my mind with worry." She was still crying, and Mamoru didn't know what else to say. He had never been good at that sort of thing.  
  
"Mamo-chan?" She pulled away from him suspiciously.  
  
"Yes Usako?" he asked innocently this time.  
  
"You're supposed to be in America right now remember? You used your ticket didn't you?" she gasped when it hit her, "You used the one that you were suppose to use for when you were done with your schooling!" she accused, pointing a finger.  
  
"..." Mamoru put a hand behind his head.  
  
"MAMO-CHAN! You threw away your future! That was your dream, your chance to become the world's best doctor! You can't go back now until you save up enough money!" she attempted to punch him in the chest. Her punishment for him being stupid. He caught her fist and pulled her close.  
  
"Usako, I'd throw everything away for you." he whispered in her ear, kissing her cheeks one by one.  
  
Ikuko cleared her throat, "Usagi-chan, I have your lunch ready for you, just let me heat it up for you." She pulled a red Kenji after her. Then reappeared and winked at her daughter, giving her the 'V-is-for-victory' sign.  
  
"Food?" Usagi instantly perked up. Mamoru laughed and kissed her on the lips, she kissed him back, wrapping him in a hug afterwards.  
  
"Mamo-chan, I was so scared..." her voice trailed off.  
  
"I heard you calling me Usako, I'd never leave you." he cooed.  
  
"You promise?" she asked hopefully.  
  
"On my life." he whispered kissing her again.  
  
"You better mean that Mamo-chan..." she giggled as he gave her a butterfly kiss.   
  
"Usagi-chan, Mamoru-san!" Ikuko called from the kitchen.  
  
"Coming Okaa-san!" She gave Mamoru one last kiss before practically running to the kitchen.  
  
Mamoru stared after her for a minute, but then again it wasn't like he was counting so it made no difference to him in the least. To him, this was all a dream. Being back with Usako, getting along with her family (especially her father), seeing his future daughter -even though the reason she was here couldn't be good-, and being in a family. Mamoru would never tell Usagi this, but he was extremely jealous of her. Of her ability to trust people, express her love to anyone, and of her having a family. Oh sure, Usako was his family, she and Chibi Usa, but secretly he longed for parents, for someone to give him guidance for once. Something in his heart itched, and the imaginary voice in his head began to point fun at him.   
  
Yet deep inside, he couldn't help but feel this dream might turn into a nightmare...  
  
______________something_left_unspoken______________  
  
*crunch*  
  
*crunch*  
  
*slurp*  
  
*swallow*  
  
*crunch*  
  
*crunch*  
  
*slurp*  
  
  
"Whft?  
  
There were collective sighs from the Tsukino's table.  
  
"Is there something you want to tell us, Usagi dear?" Ikuko asked softly. Usagi gulped down her food. All eyes were on her now.  
  
Her mother's caring glaze...  
  
Her father's worry...  
  
Shingo's amazement and pride...  
  
Chibi Usa's encouragement, and well hidden adornment...  
  
Mamo-chan's eternal love...  
  
"Mm saylm mun.." she muttered incoherently, blinking innocently at the other's sweatdrops.  
  
"Usagi, speak with your mouth open." her father implied, pushing his glasses back up onto the bridge of his nose.  
  
Mom... Dad... Shingo, for the past four or so years, I've been sneaking out in the middle of the night, risking my life AND getting killed in the process, while lying to you on a daily basis. Does that clear everything up? Words could not describe how much she would have loved saying that. But, she stuck with the simplified version.  
  
"Mom, Dad, Shingo, I'm Sailor Moon, the pretty-suited soldier of love and justice." she said taking a sip of orange juice. Her father reluctantly shelled out his wallet, mumbling something under his breath and handing her mother 10,000 yen, who snatched it out of his hand, stuffing it in her apron.   
  
"I told you! But you didn't want to believe it! Hah!" her mother went back to washing breakfast's dishes.  
  
Usagi, Mamoru, and Chibi Usa blinked.  
  
"You... knew?" Usagi drawled out slowly.  
  
"Usagi, you're my daughter. You have a certain stance about you... and to be blunt, only you and Chibi Usa wear your hair like that." her mother looked up from her dishes.  
  
"Then how come you never confronted me about it?!" Usagi cried slamming her fist down on the table. The dished and silverware rattled, and Usagi's fork flew in Shingo's frozen direction. Chibi Usa caught it before it made contact with his face.  
  
Ikuko put a finger to her bottom lip thoughtfully, "Well, I wasn't quite sure myself until last night." she shook her head, turning back to cleaning the dishes before adding, "Sooner or later, if it was that important to you, you'd tell us. I always knew that."  
  
"So you know about Mamoru then?" Chibi Usa asked, surprising her future parents by using his full name.  
  
"Hai, he's Tuxedo Mask." Kenji answered over his newspaper.  
  
"You TOLD THEM?" Usagi nearly screeched.  
  
"Usa! I just came to 'scatter' the reporters. You're mother let me in." He patted her trembling hands.  
  
"Un! He threw a rose and it hit one of the cameras! The guy was trying to act brave and shout stuff about damaging public property, but he ended up peeing his pants and running down the street when Mamoru showed up as Tuxedo Kamen!" Shingo cried enthusiastically. Usagi and the others joined him in laughing, but Usagi broke it by asking rather frantically where Luna was.  
  
"She's at Central Command with Artemis." Chibi Usa answered, "They've been there all night, but they call in every so often to check on you." She took a sip of her orange juice.  
  
"Where- no, 'what' would be a better question- is Central Command?" Kenji stuttered, "And isn't Luna your pet?"  
  
Usagi coughed uncomfortably, "Well... Central Command is ... you have to promise you won't tell! Promise? All right... I'm not quite sure myself, but I believe Central Command is a base that Luna and Artemis- Minako and my advisors that talk- set up that's connected with the Moon Kingdom's main surviving computer system. We use it to track down enemies and ... well... figure stuff out... it's located under the Sailor V game in the arcade." Usagi finished looking placid. (*Authors note: While I'm mainly sticking to the anime plot, anything that has to do with with the manga with be justified with a *M* in parentheses*)  
  
Dead Silence.  
  
"I always knew that cat was different! So she and... Artemis you say? Talk?" Kenji put his newspaper down. Mamoru and the two Moon Princess' nodded.  
  
"But what's the Moon Kingdom?" Ikuko inquired sitting down. Usagi choked on the eggs she was stuffing into her mouth, and Mamoru and Chibi Usa glanced at each other.  
  
"What? What is it?"  
  
*bleep* *bleep*  
  
Usagi, Mamoru, and Chibi Usa immediately shot up from their seats, thankful for the distraction, and dove towards the communicator in the next room.  
  
"What's up?" Usagi asked, flipping it open.  
  
"Oh! Usagi-chan! We were so worried about you!" Luna cried.  
  
Usagi smiled, "There, there Luna... I'm fine now.... see all better GAAAH!" she gasped as Chibi Usa poked her in the ribs. Mamoru gave her a disapproving look. "She's lying, she's not all right!" Chibi Usa insisted.  
  
"Baka! I'm fine!"  
  
"You're only fooling yourself!"  
  
"Why you little..."  
  
"SO, Luna... what's going on? Have you found anything?" Mamoru quickly put it, calming the two girls.  
  
"Hai, but I'm afraid it's bad news." Artemis said mournfully.  
  
"Nani?!" Usagi cried, "What is it?"  
  
"You won't be able to transform into Eternal Sailor Moon anymore." Luna whispered in a low voice. hanging her head.  
  
That was it. Those eleven words.   
  
You won't be able to transform ....  
  
Able to transform...  
  
You won't be able...  
  
Usagi let out a startled sob, "Nani? What's wrong?! You're lying right? Ha ha ha... the joke's over now..." she was crying now. But even in her heart, she knew it wasn't a lie. That she couldn't transform anymore. She couldn't do anything anymore.  
  
Mamoru put an arm around her, "Shhh... Usako... it's all right... shhh..." he cooed to her. "The youma ripped off a big chunk of the transformation locket... the only way to transform now would probably be to just use the Ginzuishou alone." Artemis finished.  
  
"Will that work? I mean... well... she's only done it in a couple of her forms..." Mamoru's voice trailed off uneasily.   
  
"So far, the only form Usagi would be able to transform into would be her second." Luna clarified.  
  
They're talking like I'm not in the room! Usagi thought dryly.  
  
"But even that's a long shot, we're not even sure that's going to work." Artemis added quickly, much to Usagi's distress. "Where's the ginzuishou now?" questioned Chibi Usa. "We have it here... Usagi, you or Chibi Usa have to come take it now, this is a total beacon to the enemy having it here." Luna ordered, leaning more towards Chibi Usa then Usagi.   
  
"I'll-" Usagi cut Chibi Usa off, "I'll be right there, I need some fresh air and my muscles are cramped from staying in bed so long." Before Mamoru or Chibi Usa could stop her, she was all ready at the door. "Usako, I don't think that-"  
  
"That I can take care of myself?" Usagi interjected, "Mamo-chan, I'm sorry, but I have to do this myself. I'll be back soon, and if I run into any trouble I'll hail you on the communicator." she flashed her communicator on her wrist to the two still sitting on the couch before heading out the door.  
  
The future king of earth and his future daughter stared at each other. "That girl will be the death of both of us." Mamoru sighed, shaking his head. All Chibi Usa could do was stare after Usagi with her crimson eyes.   
  
You're right Mamo-chan, in one way or the other...  
  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Man I'm cruel! BWAHAHAHAHAHA! *stops* That's why the next chapter is out too! *laughes* Next time on Sailor Moon Heros: Enter Ranma Saotome and his multiple fiancees!  
  
Luvs and hugs  
Chibi Acky  
  
www.earthandmoon.homestead.com/Crescent.html  
  



	4. In This Friendly, Friendly World

The future king of earth and his future daughter stared at each other. "That girl will be the death of both of us." Mamoru sighed, shaking his head. All Chibi Usa could do was stare after Usagi with her crimson eyes.   
  
You're right Mamo-chan, in one way or the other...  
  
__________________________  
  
  
Hi me again. Like I said, this is the *gives a blank look, then counts on fingers* one... two... FOURTH! This is the fourth installment of Heros! *laughs* Me and my memory, what a killer team. I still need help with Be Still My Heart, because I'm leaving town soon (FINALLY! I've only been home all friggin' summer!) and I went to get the last part out before then. Okay doekay hoekay poekay?  
  
All right, down to business: This chapter/part/installment/whatever involves the cast of Ranma 1/2. As much as I would like to, I can't post season summaries here, and I'm too lazy to write out character descriptions. BUT, help is here, and not all hope is lost! I HIGHLY recommend you go here:  
  
http://ranmainfo.simplenet.com/index.html  
  
For all Ranma information, that's the place. Trust me. I will, though, will explain a lot about the Ranma characters in the storyline, so I don't confuse the Sailor Moon fans ^.^  
  
  
------------------------------H---E---R---O---S ----------------------------  
  
In this Friendly, Friendly World....  
  
________________  
  
"RANMA! Hurry up or we'll be late! C'mon! C'mon! I'm not holding buckets in the hallway again because of YOUR tardiness!" Akane Tendo yelled at her fiancee (again) and yanking him to the door by the collar of his red silk chinese shirt.   
  
"But... Akane... need... food!" the young martial artist gasped from Akane's death grip around his neck.   
  
"You're lunches are by the door, have a nice day!" called Akane's oldest sister Kasumi from the kitchen. "Ja Onee-chan!" Akane called, handing Ranma his lunch before the two sped towards Furinkan High.   
  
This, my friends, is the same old sad song that goes on everyday. Ranma and his father rise early every morning (it's actually more like Genma-Ranma's father- dumping water on him, angering his son by turning him into a girl) to "train." It usually made Ranma and his fiancee late, having to make the mad dash, avoiding all the loonies that resided in Nerima, Tokyo. Akane and Ranma's engagment had be set up before both of them were even born by their fathers, who would do everything (and anything) to keep them together.   
  
Akane glanced up towards the still running figure of Ranma, running next to her onto of the fence. "What? Do I have food on my face or something? Oh wait... nevermind... an uncute tomboy kept me from eating my breakfast..." his voice trailed off realizing his mistake. He prepared himself for Akane's blow up, being hit by that mallet she always seemed to pull out of thin air, or anything that would imply some pain to him.   
  
He waited.  
  
And waited.  
  
And waited.  
  
He opened his previously squeezed shut eyes gingerly, expecting to see Akane's battle aura flaring. Instead, much to his delight and pleasure, there she was laughing silently... and *smiling*! Akane had the cutest smile. She was just so pretty when she's happy- WOAH! Ranma, get a grip! It's not like you don't have fifty other girls smiling at you on a daily basis! "What's so funny?" he asked, stopping to put a hand on his hip. Akane was still shaking with laughter before replying, "You're not wearing any pants!" she collapsed to the ground in laughter.  
  
Ranma glanced down at his appearance. Chinese shirt? Check. Chinese pants? "GAAAAAAAAAAH!" He covered the boxers that he always slept in, drawing more attention to himself. Nabiki, the second eldest of the Tendo girls walked up to the couple, Ranma still on top of the fence, trying to cover himself. "My, my, my... Ranma, we know you don't have any female modesty, but male modesty? Honestly!" she replied sarcastically. "Here Akane, you better give these to your fiancee before the Chinese bimbo shows up." she threw Akane a pair of Ranma's black pants before waving and continuing in the direction of their school.  
  
The world stood still for a moment.  
  
"Akane, please..." he hopped down from the fence. She continued to back away from him, "Oh I don't know Ranma, what was that you called me? An 'uncute tomboy'?" she began to wave his pants back and forth. "That doesn't count! I always call you that!" Ranma cried despertally. "Gimme three reasons, why I should give them to you..." she was jogging backwards now, with Ranma dodging behind various bushes and carts. "Because... Because..." he stuttered. Because I love you. "Because I'm such a manly man..." he grinned. "Oh Ranma, I would hardly call a guy who turns into a girl everytime someone dumps cold water on him a 'manly man'... keep going!" Ranma looked hurt by her comment, but continued after her.  
  
Because I love you. "Because I've saved you lot's of times." Akane paused for a moment, knowing that with each step, they were getting closer to Furinkan. "All right, that was one. Next" Ranma grinned, and found himself saying, "Because you look so kawaii when you smile."   
  
Dead silence.  
  
oh no ohnoohnoohno.... she gonna hit me! he mentally cried. "Really?" Akane asked hopefully. Ranma nodded enthusiastically, That and when you don't hit me. "Can I have my pants now?" he begged. "That's only two, baka! Catch me and I'll give 'em to you!" Before Ranma realized what she was doing, Akane had made it halfway down the street. Why me?  
  
________w_h_y__a_r_e__y_o_u__g_o_n_e_?________  
  
By the time Ranma had caught up with Akane, which wasn't long, they were nearly to Furinkan. Ranma had to grab Akane, lifting her over his head and tickling her until she reluctantly gave up the pants. "Thank you." Ranma said, pulling his pants on. "Anytime." Akane laughed, "You know, I don't think I've laughed that hard in a long time."   
  
"I still don't see what's so friggin' funny about it!" Ranma snapped. Akane shook her head, "The all mighty martial artist Ranma Saotome: De-pants." "Oh har, har, har! Imagine- hey, what's going on?" his thoughts trailed off, "And where the heck is Kunou?! I really need to pound someone's face in today!" Akane followed his gaze to the school, "That's right, where is Kunou? Usually he's glomping on me by now, or trying to kill you with his bokken." Ranma shrugged, "The bell rings in three minutes , and everyone is still outside... HEY! Maybe Principal Kunou croaked or went back to Hawaii with his wacked out kids." He suggested. They both looked at each other before sweatdropping, "No, we'd be too lucky." the both grumbled at the same time.  
  
"Ran-chan! Ran-chan! RAN-CHAN!" Ukyou yelled from the crowd. "It's like she didn't think I heard her the first time..." Ranma mumbled. Kounji Ukyo was another one of his fiancees, though not by choice. Well, actually, none of them were by choice, but that was besides the point. During Ranma's decade long training trip, in which he traveled to countless places, he befriended Ukyo, an okonomiyaki vendor with her father. They play-fought everyday, and if Ranma one, he got free okonomiyaki (*Author's note: Think Japanese pizza*) and needless to say, Ranma one everyday. Ranma, at the time, had thought that Ukyo was a boy, because of the way she dressed.  
  
Ukyo's father proposed to engage Ukyo to Ranma, and to throw his okonomiyaki cart in as sort of a dowry. Genma, always mindful of where his next meal was coming from, agreed.   
  
Unbeknowest to Ukyo's father, though, Genma plotted to get the cart without having to take Ukyo. To do this, he decided to let the naive and unaware young Ranma make the decision to keep Ukyo, so that he could say Ranma made the decision when trouble arose. Genma asked the unsuspecting Ranma a question - "Who do you like better, Ukyo or okonomiyaki?" The innocent Ranma, eating an okonomiyaki at the time, said, "Okonomiyaki".   
So, Genma felt that he could justify taking the cart and leaving Ukyo. So on the day the exchange was to be made, Genma took off with the cart and Ranma, leaving a devastated and deserted Ukyo behind.   
Ukyo refused to act feminine in anyway from that moment forward, the humiliation of what had happened was too great. She began dressing in boys' clothes, and training in the art of making okonomiyaki.   
Ukyo finally caught up with Genma and Ranma 10 years later, at Furinkan High school. Ukyo beat up Genma, and then tranferred into Ranma's school (posing as a boy) to finish him off as well. Ranma, not quite understanding the nature of Ukyo's hatred, had to keep on his toes to keep from being killed by Ukyo.   
Finally, Ranma and Ukyo squared off in a duel to settle the score. It was during the course of this fight that Ranma finally found out that Ukyo was indeed a girl and also, about the grudge she held against him. As the fight was about to continue though, Ranma totally stopped Ukyo in her tracks by calling her "cute". When Ukyo heard this from her "Ran-chan", she totally forgave Ranma, and on top of that, tried to re-establish her engagement with Ranma, citing that she was promised to Ran-chan way before Akane was. Ukyo has opened her own restaurant, called "Ucchan's" (Ranma's pet name for her), and continues to pursue Ranma in order to try and engage herself to him again.   
The good thing was, she always gave Ranma free okonomiyaki. And to him, that was a definate plus. Out of all his fiancees, Akane was the only one with toxic cooking. Shampoo, his fiancee by amazon law, her grandmother Colonge, and the always desperate for Shampoo, Mousse owned the Neko Hanten, offering some of the best ramen in Nerima.   
  
"What is going on Ukyo?" Akane asked her, watching Ukyo latch herself onto Ranma, with a red face. Ukyo let go of Ranma, picking up a discarded newspaper off the ground, "They found out Sailor Moon's identity last night... I guess acording to this, she almost died by being buried alive and crushed under a stone youma..." She struck a dramatic pose, "Oh, the agony of being a super heroine!" She paused, "Well anyway, I have no idea what's going on with the teachers or Principal Kunou for that matter. His son Tatewaki Kunou isn't around either... but Hinako-sensei told us to wait out here until the bell rings. So this is the current topic we've been using to amuse ourselves." She finished, turning and snatching a quick glance at the school. Akane snatched the newspaper away, reading it for herself before handing it to Ranma. "Poor girl, don't you think Ranma? Ranma? Yoo-hoo, earth to Ranma!" Akane waved a hand infront of his pale face. "Masaka..." he whispered, "Uso..." Akane and Ukyo stared at him. "Ranma... doushita no?" Akane asked worried, placing a hand on his shoulder. "Usa-chan..." he breathed dropping the newspaper.  
"C'mon, I gotta tell you guys something." He grabbed Akane's hand, making her blush, and angering Ukyo who followed closely behind. The made their way to the back of the building. "All right Ranma, spill." Ukyo commanded, "This better not be ANOTHER fiancee or love intrest..." she warned. Akane nodded. Ranma shook his head, "No, it's about Sailor Moon..."   
  
"What did she save you or something?" Akane cut in. Ranma shot a silencing look in her direction.   
  
"She's my cousin." He said finally.  
  
"Nani? Who?" Ukyo questioned.  
  
Ranma sighed, she was a good cook, an excellent fighter, but was lacking something upstairs. "Tsukino Usagi, Sailor Moon... she's my cousin." he clarified.  
  
The girls stared at him for a minute, "Oh Ranma..." Akane began. "You know, I don't even remember her very well... I only met her once or twice, both times when we were young..." He coughed.   
  
"Ranma, I'm so sorry..." Akane atempted to put a hand on his shoulder, but he brushed it away. She felt a sting in her heart, but swallowed it before it created an expression on her face. "I don't feel so well, I think I... I think I need some rest and time to think, ya know?" He looked up at the two girls, his expression unreadable.  
  
"We still have class-"   
  
"It's okay Akane, I'm sure you'll be fine walking home alone."  
  
"Baka! Of course I will you macho jerk!" Akane fumed.  
  
Ranma waved her off, "Bye Akane, bye Ucchan." Then he proceeded to walk home towards the Tendo dojo, alone, shoulders slumped.  
  
The two girls looked at each other, and Akane brushed a stray hand of her short blueish, blackish hair behind her ear. Oh Ranma...  
  
"C'mon sugar, the bell's gonna ring any second, I'm sure Ran-chan will be fine." Ukyo pulled the shorter girl after her, Akane's eyes still scanning where Ranma had been.  
  
  
_________________________  
  
Akane felt akward not walking home with Ranma, and quite uncomfortable. He was like her safe-guard from whatever demon, oni, or past rivals. But would she ever admit that?  
  
Pfet! And boost his macho ego? Not a chance!  
  
All right, so she was stubborn about Ranma. It was practically a reflex now, their fighting. Always bicker, bicker, bicker. To tell the truth, Akane rather enjoyed Ranma company in the sense that she wasn't alone. Before Ranma came into her life, she had to fight off the boys every morning before entering school, compliments of Upper classman Tatewaki Kuno, or just Kuno to them. Now, the guys at school had given up, excepting her engagment to Ranma. All but Kuno. It was a routinue now, Kuno would start sprouting his bad poetry, glomping on Ranma-chan (Ranma's female form) if he was unfortunate enough to be splashed by cold water, or Akane. Either way, he recieved a fist or foot to the face, sending him flying into the sky.  
  
Why was Ranma acting so weird though? Ashamed that his cousin was out living him in the Hero pool? That maybe she got the better genes then he? Nah, from what she read, it almost seemed like Tsukino Usagi and Saotome Ranma were two peas in a pod. Akane sighed, hugging her book bag to her chest. Ranma, if only I could figure you out...  
  
"Hey there pretty girl!" a voice hissed from the alleyway she was standing in front of. "HAPPOSAI! Go away you perverted leech!" she shrieked. A rough hand reached out and grabbed her, pulling her into the darkness of the alley. "Yes... yes... she is ice! Ice Child!" The creature grabbed her neck, lifting her up in the air. And Akane did what she always did when she realized she couldn't possibly win.   
  
She froze up.  
  
So typically her.  
  
Okay don't panick... PANICK?! I'm only being choked TO DEATH! she mentally screamed, sending a kick towards the creature. Her foot made contact with a bone, and she heard a snapping noise. That ought to hold him! She collapsed to the ground, gasping for air when the youma dropped her. "Damn you!" it hissed.   
  
RANMA! Where are you? Aren't you going to save me?! Please help me!  
  
Akane attempted to make a break for the entrance of the alley. She caught a glimpse of the light before something grabbed her foot, sending her sprawling, and pulling her back through the path. She fought against it's hold as it dragged her face down into the end of the alley. "Stupid, stupid child. Think you can get away? Think you can kill me?" Akane coughed at it's horrible breath.  
  
"After you kill me, could you at least chew some gum... or maybe opt for some sort of breath freshener... 'cause if you don't kill me soon... your breath will." she spat. The youma made a sound that must have been a laugh, but sounded more like a grinder to her. "I'm not going to kill you my dear, but eating raw flesh can do that to a dead man's breath." He pushed her up against the wall, knocking her head against it. A dizzy Akane saw the sun catch it's face and she nearly screamed.  
  
It was dead. Deader then dead. It's skin was slick and gray, and transparent... it didn't have a heart... didn't have any organs.... As if the youma was reading her mind it responded, "Giving up the living parts of you if hardly a sacrifice for imortality." "You're just a bag of bones! We'll stop you, even if you take me Ranma will save me!" she threatened hoarsely. The grinding laugh filled her ears again, "You're so innocent, ice child, but soon... soon your soul will be given to a higher power!" "Oh yeah? RANMAAAAAAAAAAAA! HELP! RANM-" her screams for help were cut off by the youma slamming her in the chest, slamming her into the brick wall. The force of the impact rattled every bone in her body, and she shook with pain. I can't go to sleep... have... to ... fight.... stay... awake... Unfortunatly, her body did give in. "Ranma..." was the last word she mumbled before falling into darkness. The youma watched as Akane slipped into unconciousness with a satisfied smirk.  
  
All too easy.  
  
___________s_i_l_e_n_c_e__a_s_w_e_r_e_d__m_y__c_a_l_l___________  
  
RANMAAAAAAAAAA! HELP! RANM-! Ranma shot up from his futon, shaking. What that Akane? Where was she? He practially flew down the stairs, "Kasumi? Nabiki? Pops? Tendo-san?" He called, running from room to room. "Oh, good Ranma! You're awake!" a unmistakably cheerful voice cried from behind him in the kitchen.   
  
"Kasumi! Has Akane made it home yet?" he asked despertally. Kasumi frowned, "No, father and Mr. Saotome went out looking for her an hour ago but still haven't found anything. She's four hours late!" She placed both hands on his shoulders, "Oh Ranma, you'll help find my Imouto... won't you?" she pleaded. He nodded, "Don't worry Kasumi, we'll find her before nightfall... I'm sure that tomboy is just out... doing what tomboys do..." he finished lamely. Even the usually dense Kasumi could see through Ranma and Akane's illusional 'hate'. "Be careful Ranma!" she called to his figure, already heading towards the streets of Nerima.  
  
And please find Akane... for both of our sakes...  
  
_____________________  
  
For someone not knowing where he was going, Ranma was just running like a bat out of hell. Jumping from roof top to roof top, didn't ease the situation either. "Baka! You shouldn't have let her walk home alone..." he was well aware of the fact that he was talking to himself now. "Where could she be?"  
  
Akane had the knack for getting kidnapped. They had grown acustomed to it. But this... this was different... some how, he knew it. In his heart he heard her cry out for him.   
  
For *him*  
  
The same him that wasn't there to protect her in the first place. "GAAAAAHHHHH!" The normal extremely balanced Ranma would have seen that broken roof tile. Had he not been so deep in thoughts mind you. His fingers searched for purchase, only bringing down every tile in his path with him. In the end, he fell in the alley, pinching his ego. "Aw man, that figures..." he brushed off his pants, scanning what he could of the dark alley, the setting sun barely gave him any light, but he reconised the street that flowed out from it. It was the same one he and Akane always passed, to and from school. A familiar scent filled his nose.  
  
Akane...  
  
It smelled like her shampoo...  
  
He gave the air a good sniffing, following the trail like a dog. Horror reached out and crushed his heart when he lost the scent.  
  
Until he saw them.  
  
It was Akane's bookbag. The same one she had nailed him with so many times. A piece of her green uniform was imprisioned underneath it, and Ranma pulled it out, inspecting it. That one little drop of blood on it nearly made him break down, mentally and physically. He traced the little droplets near it on the ground, they became bigger until they stopped at the wall. Whatever it was, it had taken her by force. Taken her away from him.  
  
That did not make Ranma a very happy man.  
  
No, not in the least.  
  
()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()  
  
All right, so I'm stinky at writing Ranma 1/2 fics... maybe it's because I have less experience with them... *shrugs* Who knows... I promise that the only reason this one sucked was because I had to go through and try to explain some of the key characters. I didn't do too well...  
  
*Next Time* Bow to Death  
  
Usagi is attacked en route to picking up the crystal, who will come to her rescue when she can't transform? Next time in Heros, Usagi loses four people very, very dear to her.  
  
**  
Disclaimer: No own, no money, no sue 'kay?  
**  
  
www.earthandmoon.homestead.com/Crescent.html  
  



	5. Bow to Death

"You know, I heard once that the cure for everything is salt."  
"How so?"  
"Our tears, sweat, and the sea. All salt."  
"That makes NO sense, whatsoever."  
"Maybe it does, just not in a way you can understand."  
"That still makes no sense to me, Ami."  
"You're right Rei, these days to me, nothing makes sense."  
"Maybe we're just thinking too hard about the whole Usagi situation."  
"No, that's just our excuse for being scared."  
"Yeah, I guess so."  
  
___________________  
  
Authors note: All right, I want to get one more chapter out before leaving. Let's just say I've been inspired. I'll work on Be Still My Heart while I'm away at cheer camp, figuring out what I want to do next. But maybe, maybe I'll get it out before then... but you guys got to ask me for it, otherwise I'm not going to rush through the next one. It has to be good; it's the last one. The next part (what is it, four?) will have BOTH Sailor Moon and Ranma in it. Now won't that be fun? ^.^ Oh, before I forget: Thank you Opal Soul, you seem to really like this story, email me sometime so we can chat, k?  
  
  
  
-----------------------------------------H---E---R---O-S------------------------------------  
  
Bow to death  
  
  
  
________________________  
  
"So, what do you think?" questioned Ikuko as soon as Usagi had left the house.  
"I reckon something is bothering her, otherwise she won't have gotten so upset over, what was it? Not being able to transform?" Kenji rubbed his chin thoughtfully. The rest of the Tsukino family had been 'concerned' so to them, spying on their daughter was the only answer.  
  
Mamoru and Chibi Usa sat in the living room until the rest of the family came out of hiding.   
"Where's Usagi?" Shingo asked innocently.  
"She went to go pick something up." Mamoru replied stiffly.  
"YOU LET HER GO ALONE?!" Kenji blew up at him.  
"She wouldn't let us go with her." Chibi Usa placed a hand on her future father's shoulder.   
"Oh dear, I hope she's all right, she was very hurt two nights ago when she came home." Ikuko mumbled thoughtfully.  
  
No one mentioned the same thing was going through his or her minds.  
  
_________________i__s_e_e__y_o_u_______________________  
  
  
Usagi picked up her pace slightly, halfway through the park. There was no one on the streets today. She stopped in her tracks, fingering the ginzuishou around her neck. She put a hand on her forehead to shield her eyes, checking the position of the sun. It was about 3 o' clock in the afternoon, the sun wasn't at it's peak anymore. Everyone was still at work or school. She sighed, at least no one would bug her. It was amazing that no one had been in the lawn when she left. Kudos to Minako and her fine acting skills.  
  
Artemis and Luna had looked at her so strangely, almost as if they were worried, but more like... more like sorry for her. Artemis was dropping hints left and right about Usagi always being with at least two Senshi. Luna was more tempted to call the Outer Senshi. Her pride wouldn't have it though... she wouldn't lose again. Not ever again.   
  
A twig snapped in the distance. Usagi spun her head around, scanning the area.  
  
There it was again. Why now? Not now, notnow,notnownotnow! she mentally pleaded. She had to get out of the park soon.   
  
"Oh Serenity..." it taunted from the tree above her. Oh, Usagi knew that trick. She sidestepped to the right, avoiding the youma perched in the tree above her. The thing hit the ground, and rolled away from her sight.   
  
She gripped the ginzuishou tightly in her fist, they were not going to take it from her. Her heart was thundering in her chest, bringing about the pain in her ribs. Maybe I should call the others, maybe they could get here in time... Nah, she had a better chance of running into crowds of people. Even her pride knew that if the youma showed up again, she wouldn't stand a chance.   
  
She limped on her good foot towards Osa-P, praying to whatever it was that was running the big show that it would be open.   
  
Unfortunately, it wasn't.   
  
"Damn it all!" she swore pounding the glass with her good hand.   
  
"Not the proper language of a Princess, tsk, tsk... I thought your mother taught you better!" She glanced up looking at the reflection of the Store's glass doors. She screamed.  
  
The youma...looked human... but was transparent in the sense that was nothing, nothing at all inside of him. Its eyes were sewn shut, and it's nose looked like it was about to fall off. It wore dirty brown pants, an open jacket, and steel tipped boots. It seemed angry that she had caused such a commotion. He slammed her head into the glass, cracking the clear plating. Usagi let out a strangled scream, putting a shaky hand to the side of her head.   
  
Well it wasn't sweat coming from the side of her hair, that was for sure.  
  
"Who... who are you...?" she whispered, wondering why Naru's mother hadn't shown up yet. "I am Seeker, that is all you need to know." It snarled, kicking her in the ribs. "AGGGGGGGGRRRRRRRHHH!" she screamed in pain, crying now. She reached for her communicator, but the youma stepped on her wrist, breaking the transmitter into pieces. "No tricks little girl, the Ice no Miko is with us now." It whispered in her ear, "Another person you failed to save... what a shame."   
  
Usagi couldn't say anything, the pain in her chest was too great. She grunted, not recognizing the Ice no Miko. The Ice Priestess? She tried to get up, but Seeker kicked her back down. "Don't move, as soon as I remove your star seed, it'll be all over." Seeker put a hand to her back.  
  
"Mars Flame SNIPER!" A fire arrow streaked into the Seeker's back. "URGGHH!" Seeker fell backwards, away from Usagi. Ami and Rei were instantly by her side. "Usagi-chan! Usa!" Mercury was shaking her. "Ami... Rei... it's after... star seeds... run..." her voice was raspy and thick. Mercury and Mars shot a look at each other. "Usagi, we need to get you out of here!" Mars was lifting her to her feet now, the Seeker was stirring. "Iie! Iie! I can't leave!" Usagi forced out her voice.  
  
She reached into her pocket, "Moon ... uh... Crystal Power, make up!"  
  
Nothing.  
  
"Moon Cosmic Power, make up?"  
  
Nothing.  
  
"Moon Eternal, Make up?"  
  
Nothing.  
  
She was in tears now, "Crisis make up!"  
  
"MOON PRISM POWER, Make up!" Mars and Mercury stared in disbelief. "She can't transform, something must have happened." Mercury whispered. Mars nodded. She and Mercury had been out, skipping school (much to Ami's dismay), and were preparing to check in on Usagi when they caught sight of her running towards Osa-P. They followed and henshined when they saw the youma.  
  
"Damn you crystal! Why can't you work when I want you to?!" The girl cried helplessly. "Don't worry Usagi, everything will be all right. We'll stay by you, don't you worry!" Rei patted her on the shoulder.   
  
"More Senshi?" They turned around in time to see Seeker stabbing Mercury in the chest. She screamed. "AMI!!!!!" Rei and Usagi were by her side. She had turned right into the translucent blade. Ami looked at both of them, "It doesn't hurt..." she coughed as Seeker twisted the pain, "Just like what we were talking about Mars, AH!" she cried in pain, "Don't trust your eyes Usagi... Thank you... for being my friends..." Seeker laughed harshly, pulling the blade out. There was a flash of light, and along with the blade, came Ami's star seed. Ami faded away in blue sparkles, a slight smile on her face, "It's the warm light again..." she sighed before vanishing.  
  
"PUT IT BACK!" Rei and Usagi screamed. The Seeker grabbed it, stuffing it into a bag. "Not a chance, Sailor brats! The bounty on these babies are just too high!" He laughed, "You're next Mars. Struggle and I'll hurt you." He raised the sword again.  
  
Usagi threw a look to Rei, "Run Rei-chan, please!" she begged. Rei shook her head, throwing her communicator to her. "Call the others!" she ordered, "Then run as far as you can!" Rei smiled sadly at her best friend. "No Rei, I can't leave you! I can't!" Usagi said firmly.   
  
"I was afraid that one day this would happen. That we would have you leave you by yourself. Be strong Usagi, be proud of the fact you're the champion of love and justice... and the princess of the moon. We're always so proud of you Usa, never forget that!" Rei turned her back on her, hiding her tears.  
  
"Rei-chan... you're my best friend...Stop talking like that! We'll see each other again!" Usagi knew there was no arguing with her friend. "Bye Rei-chan, I'll see you around." Rei nodded. "Bye Odango, take care of yourself."  
  
"Oh this so lame, I feel like the loser instead of you!" The Seeker let out a grating laugh. Usagi turned on her heels and ran.   
  
Bye Rei-chan...  
  
Bye Usagi-chan...  
  
_____________________  
  
Usagi heard the scream, she saw the light, she knew Rei was gone. She felt it in her heart. Yet she continued to run, tears blinding her vision. "Mamo-chan! Minako! Makoto!" She called into the communicator. Two faces immediately popped up,   
  
"Hai?"  
  
"What's wrong Usagi-chan?"  
  
"There was a youma," she sobbed, "They... they took... Ami and Rei's star seeds... they're gone, I couldn't help them!" she wailed. She had to hurry and get home, school would be out soon.   
  
For a moment she thought the two remaining Inner Senshi would be angry and upset with her. "We'll meet you at your house Usa-chan, ja ne!" Mako replied for the in-shock Minako.  
  
"All right, be there soon, okay?" Usagi cried, her home coming into view.  
  
  
_____y_o_u__p_r_o_m_i_s_e_d__m_e______  
  
  
"OH MY GOD!" Usagi screeched upon entering her house. Funiture was toppled over, windows were shattered, and her family was no where to be seen.   
  
"OKAA-SAN?! OTOU-SAN?! SHINGO? CHIBI USA?! MAMO-CHAN?!"   
  
She found her parents upstairs with her brother, huddling in a corner in a tight ball. "USAGI!" Minako's familiar voice carried upstairs to her. Usagi checked on last time on her family before running down to meet Sailor Venus and Sailor Jupiter. "I can't find Mamo-chan or Chibi Usa!" she panicked.  
  
Venus and Jupiter stared at her shaking form. She was bleeding on the forehead, and was breathing very shallowly. "Usagi... are you all right?" Venus asked gently. Usagi's blood-shot eyes glared at her, "No Minako-chan, I am NOT all right."   
  
"Usagi...? Mama...?" a little voice called from outside. Usagi scurried out into the back yard, the girls right behind her.  
  
  
Her heart stopped for a moment.  
  
Super Sailor Chibi Moon was hunched over the fallen form of Tuxedo Kamen. "Mamo-chan!" she cried, collapsing at his side.   
  
"It came for him... right after you left..." Chibi Moon cried, "I couldn't help him... he wanted to see you one last time..." She was quivering with tears now.  
  
Mamoru was on his back, face up, he opened his eyes from behind his askew domino mask, "Usako?" His voice seemed far away to her. "Mamo-chan!" she put her head on his chest, "I'm right here Mamo-chan, don't leave, ne?"  
  
Mamoru chuckled, "I held on to see you one last time my love... I'm so sorry... I can't protect you anymore." Usagi froze No! nonononononononono! "You promised Mamo-chan! You said you'd never leave me!" she accused through her tears. "I'll never leave you, I'll always be right there," he pointed to her heart, "-Never forget how much I love you, I'll never stop trying to get back to you. Nothing will st-op me." He took a deep breath, "While I'm away... could you take care of my roses? They need love, and until I come back, you're just the person to do it." Usagi laughed slightly.  
  
"Hai Mamo-chan, I will take care of your roses."  
  
"Never lose faith Usako, your love will pull through."  
  
"Hai Mamo-chan, I love you too."  
  
Golden glitter began to appear, and though Usagi had never witnessed it before, she knew that he was leaving her. "It's your light Usako... so warm... ashiteru Usa-" he vanished before finishing her name. "NO! MAMO-CHAN!" She screamed.   
  
"Mama... Usagi..." a small voice was beside her now. She turned, knowing what was happening. Because Mamoru was gone, Chibi Usa couldn't be born, therefore....  
  
"No Chibi Usa, not you too!" Usagi wrapped her arms around the fading girl, holding her daughter in her arms for the last time. "Mama... you're warm like Mama, Usagi, I miss her. I'll be rooting for you!" The little girl completely departed then, leaving Usagi in the wake of her tears.   
  
Venus and Jupiter, who had since then been frozen in disbelief and shock, moved to hug their friend, counting their loses as the day began to fade into the night.  
  
  
()()()()()()()()()()()()()()  
  
Yep, that's all for now. Did you like that, or are they all getting crappier? (can I say that in here? Of course I can, it my fic!) Please R/R, C&C excepted kindly, as long as they don't contain email bombs. No, seriously. Some one sent me an email bomb for not finishing Be Still My Heart!   
  
Luvs and hugs,  
Chibi Acky ^.^  
  
  
http://www.earthandmoon.homestead.com/Crescent.html  
  
  
  
  
  



	6. Hold my Hand

I don't think I've ever been this scared in my life. Even with Galaxia, even with Beryl, the ones who had destroyed us all.   
  
The ones who had managed to kill the Sailor Senshi.   
  
I'm so hurt right now, I can't seem to process anything. Days have slowed down, and my vision always seems to be blurred. Yet, I can't help but feel determined, there's a person I must live for, who I must protect. It's nearly set in stone. She's one of my best friends, and she seems to be more hurt then all of us.   
  
All of us that are left.   
  
Even as Sailor V, I never felt this way about anything. It's so alien to me, I don't want to understand it. I just want it to go away.  
  
For her…  
  
For me…  
  
Even through her tears, I can't help thinking that she's stronger then us. Stronger then all of us put together. I can't help but be scared.  
  
For her…  
  
For the world…  
  
And for me…  
  
I'm so scared.  
  
  
____________________________________________  
  
  
Back again, back again. I'm on such a roll with this story I just can't stop writing! Hey, If I'm pleasing at least one person, then I'm happy. Otherwise, I'm just doing this for myself. I know… I'm just so … never mind… Hey, you know what? I forgot to put the disclaimer on the last two! grins sheepishly Oops… (=^.^=) Oh well…   
  
----------------------------------------H---E---R---O---S------------------------------------- Hold My Hand  
  
  
Usagi had never known Tokyo to be this cold in the springtime, it was almost as if it was winter. Maybe it was just her heart. The reporters were always there, behind her, following her, annoying her… She was the hottest dish in the world, and she was still receiving offers for interviews. Haruka and Michiru had called the day before, and hearing their voices had cheered her up; she almost forgot about Mamoru, Chibi Usa, Rei, and Ami.  
  
Almost.  
  
She either had to travel early in the morning, or late at night if she wanted to go anywhere. On the news they were always complaining about not being able to get a shot of her, or a clear story. That 20/20 lady still called everyday too. Motoki had stopped by, him already knowing their secret identifies (*Manga*), was more upset over the loss of loss of his best friend. It had been almost a week since she was 'discovered' as Sailor Moon, and there was still something she needed to do.   
  
She opened the door to Mamoru's apartment.  
  
She smiled a little; maybe she could watch the sunrise from the balcony…  
  
  
___e_m_o_t_i_o_n_s__i__n_e_v_e_r__k_n_e_w_____  
  
She was gone.  
  
Ranma Saotmoe's pride and ego went along with her.  
  
They had all returned to the Tendo dojo, coming to the same conclusion he had.  
  
She had been kidnapped.  
  
Ranma sat up and stepped over his sleeping father. Still in panda form. Genma had felt the wrath of Ranma when he accused him of Akane's kidnapping, and ended up in the koi pond. Ranma sighed, tip-toeing down the house. Soun Tendo had cried himself to sleep, Kasumi with him the whole time, trying to comfort him. Nabiki went up to her room doing kami knows what. Probably playing detective and contacting all her little spy friends. Nabiki had all the connections that he didn't.   
  
He walked towards the corner of the room, opening the bag containing all of his stuff. His breath caught in his throat when he pulled out a little brown bag. He opened it, checking to make sure the contents were still inside, before heading out the door. Ranma sat down on the roof over-looking the Tendo's koi pond. He took out the present that Akane had given him for Christmas the year before, wrapping it around his cold hands. Okay, so the yellow scarf was less then perfect (far, far, far from it) but *she* had made it for *him*   
  
The same person that had always called her a tomboy and uncute.   
  
He held the scarf to his heart, feeling dampness on his cheeks.   
  
He brushed the tears away.   
  
He'd be damned before anyone saw him cry.  
  
Suddenly, the world had become a very cold place to him.  
  
A very cold place indeed.  
  
___________________________________  
  
  
As soon as Cologne had heard the news of Akane's abduction, she knew something horrible was going to happen. The old Amazon woman, after hearing all the details, had left very quickly to consult her old Chinese books. There was nothing, nothing, and nothing. It was quite strange, that girl, her great-grand daughter Shampoo's main rival for Ranma as a husband, had the tendency to get kidnapped every couple months or so. Everyone was on the edge these days it seemed. After hearing all reports of the identities of the Sailor Senshi, (Mars and Mercury too. Apparently, Usagi was wrong, and there were people outside because the news made front page.) she knew that things had gone from bad to worse. Princess Serenity's court were being slashed away one by one, and it would only be a matter of time before they came for her great grand-daughter too.   
  
"Things are pretty bad at the Time Gate, eh Setsuna?" She called behind her.  
  
"Hai, Cologne." A voice replied.   
  
Cologne didn't turn around from where she was sweeping the floor for the opening of her restaurant Neko-Hanten. ("Cat Cafe")  
  
"They got the first Miko, didn't they?" Cologne continued to clean the counters, not bothering to turn around.  
  
"Hai, you know who it is, don't you?" Pluto was still hidden in the shadows. Cologne nodded slightly, "They're going to come after you soon you know."  
  
Pluto was silent for a moment, "Cologne, we have both lived long enough to understand that there is no way to alter destiny." She took a breath, "I have faith in my Princess, she can do anything she sets her mind to. She will save us all."  
  
"Even when she's lost everything?"  
  
"She's lost it before… what about the head priest, how's he handling it?" Pluto destransformed into Setsuna and stepped out of the shadows.   
  
"I wouldn't know, he seems to have lost his perk though." Cologne motioned for Setsuna to sit down. She smoothed out her purple skirt and sat."You know that he and the Hinote no Miko aren't destined, so why are you still pushing it?" Setsuna's face was expressionless.  
  
"I have to until she realizes who she's destined to." Cologne handed her some tea and sat down across from her, "Even if the kid's a wacko."  
  
"I take it they don't have any idea about their past?" Setsuna had a small smile playing on her lips.Cologne let out a croaked laugh,   
  
"Not a clue."  
  
"Aiyah! It too early for Shampoo, she need beauty sleep for Airen." The purple haired Amazon yawned, stepping into dinning area of the restaurant. She stopped when she saw she wasn't alone in the room, "Great Grandmother, who this?" she asked pointing to Setsuna.  
  
"Hello Shampoo, this is my old friend Setsuna." Cologne introduced the two. Setsuna looked over her teacup, and smiled at the girl.Shampoo had a funny look on her face, "You no look older then me, how you be old friend with Great Grandmother?" Cologne's eyes narrowed in anger, "Time has been kind to me." Setsuna stood up, "Thank you for the tea old friend."   
  
"Anytime, we'll be seeing each other again right?" Cologne was implying something specific. Setsuna nodded, and exited the door.   
  
Shampoo just stared.  
  
______________________________  
  
  
Mamoru's apartment was how it always was…  
  
Clean, neat, dark….  
  
And empty.  
  
She took a deep breath, taking in his smell. She flipped on a couple of lights, biting her bottom lip to keep from crying Mamo-chan…   
  
She had a job to do.  
  
She walked over to his balcony, unlocking the door and sliding it open with ease. For a moment, she thought she saw his reflection in the glass, smiling at her and mouthing "Ashiteru Usa-ko" She shook her head and stepped outside. Her mind was playing cruel tricks. The sun wasn't up yet, but she managed to find Mamoru's roses in the dark. The frost on the crimson flowers was illuminated by the soft silver moonlight.   
  
She carried the green pot into the apartment, setting it down on the kitchen counter to warm up the roots. It was the strangest thing really, she didn't have the slightest clue on how to take care of roses. Yet, if Mamo-chan asked her to jump off a cliff... she'd do it.  
  
Gladly.  
  
She opened his refrigerator...  
  
Milk that expired three months ago Ewww... Mamo-chan... (She drained that sucker down the sink.)  
  
Moldy bread (Another one bit the dust...)  
  
And... carrots.  
  
Oh, that just figured. She dispensed of the cursed things, grabbing it between her index finger and thumb, and tossing it into his trash can, shuddering at the sight of them. She instead opted for one piece (which quickly turned into a second, and then a third, until there were seven pieces 'missing') of chocolate from Mamoru's 'secret' stash hidden in the bottom cupboard to the right of the refrigerator. She popped the last piece in her mouth, and grabbed a glass of water to dup on the roses.   
  
She walked back over to were she had set the roses down, pulling up a chair and plopping down in it. She glanced at the roses and sucked in a deep breath.  
  
The roses looked like they were crying.  
  
The frost on the petals had melted from the warmth of the apartment, and had begun to slip down it's thorny neck. Usagi lost it then. Everything that she had been trying to hide, trying to forget, trying to block out of her mind, all came back to her then. She cried.  
  
She cried so hard, her stomach hurt and the tears stopped coming. She splashed the water on the roses, sending more water to the counter then to the flowers themselves. She had to get out of that room.  
  
Everywhere she turned, there was Mamoru, Tuxedo Kamen, and Endymion in the mirrors and glass... All mouthing 'Usako' 'Sailor Moon' 'Serenity' She screamed, running into his bedroom. The guilt on her soul seemed to slow her down in a way. She opened, the door and slammed it shut behind her; then proceeded to crash onto the bed, into his pillow.  
  
Mamo-chan... the first time I came here was over four years ago... I woke up in your bed... and there you were... Oh kami Mamo-chan, it still smells like you... like the roses... (*M*) She sniffed, sitting up, swinging her legs over the side of the bed, and turning on a light on the dresser.  
  
She slipped off the edge of the bed in shock.  
  
A red rose.  
  
A silver box.  
  
A letter with her name on it.  
  
Her hand reached out for the letter, and she tapped it with her finger... almost checking to see if it was an illusion or not. The letter, startled by her touch, fell to the ground. Usagi snatched it up and tore it open:  
  
My Immortal Beloved Usa-ko,  
  
If you are reading this then I am gone. It's so hard to understand Usa, hard to understand everything. Just remember, you're strong. Stop saying that! I wish people would stop saying that! You'll always have my love and the others love, don't ever forget that. I knew this was coming Usako, I've been having dreams. I had to be prepared, and yet I know when the time comes I won't be ready, but I'll hold on long enough to see your beautiful face one last time, to stare into your loving eyes. Usagi, you must be prepared for destiny, it won't give you a warning like it did for me. Usa-ko, you're stronger then all of us, don't give up hope. Your eyes will deceive you, trust your heart.  
  
My clumsy and cute Usagi, my strong Sailor Moon, my graceful and beautiful Serenity... You are all three. You are Usagi. You are Sailor Moon. You are Serenity. You are you. Never forget that. Even if I'm gone, even if we all are... you can't stop fighting, because as long as you have hope, I can come back to you. I'll do everything in my power to, you know I will.  
  
Usagi, the box... I wanted to give this to you in person. I wanted everything to be perfect for you, my perfect love. Tsukino Usagi, Usa-ko, Sailor Moon, Princess Serenity... would you do me the honor of being your husband? I love you so much that it hurts when I can't touch you. I would have given this to you sooner, to take the place of the promise ring I gave you, but consider this my promise to return to you, my eternal oath of love.  
  
Remember my beloved, you're who you are. You are strong, pull through and I can return.  
  
With love,  
Mamoru... Mamo-chan... Tuxedo Kamen... and Endy  
  
  
That was all it said. During reading it Usagi had opened the box, trying not to be too excited about the ring. The five small diamonds were in the shape of a crescent moon, and filling up the space in the center were brilliant sapphires.   
  
So this was the reason he was too busy to write letters to her, he was always working...  
  
Usagi slipped the ring on mumbling to herself, "Hai Mamo-chan, I will be your wife," she tore the letter up, "But next time, ask me in person." and carefully picking up the rose, stepping out onto the balcony.  
  
Just in time for the sunrise.  
  
  
_____________i_t_'_l_l __b_e__a_l_l _r_i_g_h_t___________  
  
"PLEASE?! C'mon Usagi, you have to get out some time!" Minako was practically ripping her arm off.  
  
"Explain to me what this is exactly..."  
  
"TAKE A MENTOR TO SCHOOL DAY!" Three voices shouted back annoyed.  
  
"I'm taking Shingo!" Announced Makoto, "'Cause you're not supposed to take siblings!" she explained.  
  
"I'm taking Chibi Usa's friend... Momo!" Minako missed Usagi's flinch at the mention of Chibi Usa's name.  
  
"You realize you can't go on blabbering about Chibi Usa, don't you?" Hotaru asked, "Usagi's family doesn't remember her either." Minako nodded, "Duh! What do you take me for... a peanut?!" she put a hand on her hip.  
  
Everyone just stared.  
  
"What? What'd I say?"  
  
Collective sweatdrops.  
  
"Usagi-chan, you'll come with me... won't you?" Hotaru had a pleading look in her eyes. She had come back from vacation with her father, after hearing the news. She was extremely upset over the loss of her best friend, but continued to comfort her princess. Usagi sighed, "All right, all right... tomorrow, right?"  
  
"YAY!" the four wrapped her in a hug.  
  
What am I getting myself into...?  
  
__________________  
  
Hotaru happily held Usagi's hand as they skipped towards Juuban Middle School. Usagi mentally shuddered at the memories of this school. She had her silver hair pulled up in a tight bun today, wearing her Juuban High uniform. For those who did recognize her with her hair out of Odangos and silver hair, there were whispers. Hotaru and Usagi had left an hour early for school avoiding the reporters, and wandering around the streets until they eventually came to school.  
  
"Look! It's Usagi!"  
  
"I can't believe that' ditz is Sailor Moon!"  
  
"She's such a snob, she won't talk to anyone anymore!"  
  
Hotaru must have heard the gossip too, because she looked at Usagi's unresponsive face and whispered, "Usagi-chan, they don't know you as well as they thought they did. I guess we're just the freak variety show today." The little girl sighed.  
  
"It's Hotaru Tomoe! I haven't seen her forever!"  
  
"She must have bribed Usagi to come with her!"  
  
"FREAK!"  
  
Usagi felt sorry for the girl, "Hotaru-chan, they don't know you either. They don't know you at all. We're not freaks, we're special." That comment didn't seem to help any. She and Hotaru rounded the corner to where she saw Momo and Minako standing. Usagi and Hotaru's entire heads were covered in one gigantic sweatdrop.  
  
"I cannot believe-" Usagi started.  
  
"They're dressing like that." Hotaru finished.  
  
(*Authors note: I haven't gotten very far in the manga or anime for that matter, but for now, let's just say that Hotaru is also good friends with Momo and Kyusuke too okay?*)  
  
Minako and Momo had each dressed alike for the day, Minako in her own design of the Juuban Middle School uniform, and Momo with her hair like Minako's.  
  
"Usagi-chan! Hotaru-chan!" Minako was waving frantically.  
  
"Yes V-babe, we see you." Usagi muttered walking over. Hotaru giggled, "She's acting like a two year old."  
  
"Don't we just look so kawaii? Tah-DAH!" Both girls struck a similar pose.  
  
"Stop it guys, everyone's staring!" Usagi hissed.  
  
"We're trying to draw attention away from you two!" Minako whispered back.  
  
"You're gonna get in trouble for dressing like that Minako-chan!" A voice warned from behind them.   
  
"Hey Mako-chan... hey Shingo..." Came Hotaru's voice.  
  
"Minako you look ... interesting..." Mako managed to squeak out.  
  
"Don't I look so fab?" she cried striking a Sailor V pose.   
  
"C'mon, let's get away while we still can." Usagi and Hotaru vanished from the four's sights.  
  
"She's really scaring me... let's go Mako-san..." Shingo pulled Mako towards his homeroom.   
  
Momo and Minako looked at each other and grinned, "I guess we're just too women for them... let's go girlfriend!" They gave each other a high five and left for class.  
  
  
__________________  
  
"Hotaru?"  
  
"Hai Usagi-chan?"  
  
"Who's your teacher?"  
  
"..."  
  
"Oh kami... oh lord have mercy... you don't have..."  
  
"I'm so sorry, I just thought that if I did tell you..."  
  
"I thought she taught eighth grade!"  
  
"She used too... she teaches our grade now though... you're not mad... are you?"  
  
Usagi sniffed, "It's okay, just as long as she doesn't give me detention. Again."  
  
The two girls entered the class room, heads turning towards them from every direction. The regular desks had been stacked in the back, and round tables had be brought out with coloring supplies probably to celebrate the first annual 'Take a Mentor to School Day'. Hotaru and Usagi gulped simultaneously, but Kyusuke smiled and waved them over to the table he and his mentor was sitting at.  
  
"Hi Hotaru-chan! Hi Usagi-san!" Kyusuke said happily. Amazing, the once obsessed Sailor V and Sailor Moon fan didn't even mention it to Usagi. "Hello." Both girls replied. I can't even look him in the face.  
  
"Hey Usagi-san?" Kyusuke whispered, ignoring his mentor's staring at Usagi. "Hai Kyusuke-kun?" she glanced up. "Thank you... for everything you did... and tried to do..." he added the last part quickly. Usagi gave his hand a small squeeze, "Thanks for having faith in me." He smiled and nodded.  
  
"OH MY KAMI!" A familiar voice cried. Every head in the room shot up.   
  
"Uh... hey Haruna-sensei, remember me?" Usagi laughed nervously. Some one (namely Naru) laughed from the back of the room. Usagi recognized the little girl next to her as Naru's cousin. "Usagi-chan, you haven't had this effect on her since the first day you turned in your homework!" Naru and a couple of other people she knew laughed.  
  
Usagi made a face, "Oh har, har, har... for your information I turned in three assignments during that year!" Naru just laughed. Haruna walked over to where Usagi and Hotaru were sitting with Kyusuke and his mentor. She looked Usagi up and down, "My goodness, it is you!" She then broke out into tears, crushing Usagi in a hug, "Oh, I was so worried about you when I heard the news-!"  
  
Sure you were...  
  
"It's nice *gasp* to see you too *gasp* You're really hurting me *gasp* Haruna-sensei!" Usagi was waving her arms around madly, trying to get air.   
  
"Yes, just don't disrupt my class or you'll be standing outside in the hall until your feet turn blue." Haruna-sensei promptly released Usagi who dropped to the ground like a bag of bricks.  
  
Yes, what had she gotten herself into?  
  
_____________________________  
  
"Ahahahaha! That's so funny!" Shingo cried when they all had joined each other at lunch.   
  
"It's not funny!" Usagi protested. People around them just stared, most still in shock over Usagi's alternate identity. "She really hurt me!"  
  
"Mentally or physically?" Minako grinned.  
  
"Stop it! Sheesh!" Usagi took a bite of her lunch, "Haruna was giving me the death grip, and then she was telling the class all these embarrassing stories about me!"   
  
"Wow, you must have been talking the whole morning!" Mako and Minako began to laugh loudly, and Usagi even felt Hotaru giggle. "Traitor!" she hissed, "You're supposed to be on my side!"  
  
Hotaru just laughed, "C'mon, lunch is over, time for class." She dragged the fuming Usagi after her.  
  
_____________________  
  
"So have fun coloring!" Miss Haruna cried cheerfully.   
  
"She has a date tonight." Muttered Naru from next to Usagi, "Otherwise she'd probably make us relive our horror days." Usagi laughed, and handed Hotaru the purple marker.   
  
"Hey... Naru-chan, you're not mad..." she started.  
  
"At you for not telling me?" Naru finished with a smile on her face, "No, I knew you were Sailor Moon all along... I saw you every time you saved me." Usagi wrapped an arm around her old friend,   
  
"Good, I'm glad."  
  
"Yeah, me too."  
  
They sat in silence for a minute, "Hey Hotaru-chan, whatcha drawing?" Usagi leaned over her shoulder. Hotaru seemed to jump in surprise, "Oh... it's nothing..." she mumbled. "No, it's really good... it some how looks familiar to me..." Usagi muttered, trailing off. Hotaru blushed, "It's from a dream I had, see here." she pointed to one of the shadowed figures with the white a golden robe, "He's always saying your name in my dream, and he's crying over a body of a girl." She pointed to a picture of Princess Serenity, "See there you are, next to the Disu no Miko." "The Priestess of Ice?" Usagi's jaw dropped. The girl had short dark hair, and while most of her face was shaded in, Usagi could see her eyes were a chocolate brown.   
  
No tricks little girl, the Disu no Miko is with us now...  
Another person you failed to save... what a shame...  
  
Usagi had gone very pale, a pain stabbing in her heart. "Usagi-chan? Are you all right?" Hotaru asked shaking her shoulder. Usagi snapped out of it, "Hai, I'm fine..." She went back to coloring her pink bunny, with the Miko still on her mind. Who is she...?  
  
  
_________________  
  
"AHHHHHHHHHHHHH! Mako!" Shingo screamed, tackling the older girl to the ground. They hit the grassy ground with a *thud*. Shingo's class and the class next door had decided to go outside to get some fresh air after going through a play the students had prepared for their mentors.  
  
"You're out! Bwahahahahahaha!" Mako grinned triumphantly.  
  
"Makoto-san! This is dodge ball, not American Gladiators! You're hurting the poor kid!" Shingo pointed a finger to the kid that had curled into a ball to avoid a lot of pain.  
  
The kid was whimpering in fear, and the rest of their opposing team was huddled far as they could against the wall. Mako and Shingo's team was doing the same thing. "You promise you won't start pegging people as hard as you can, if I get up?"   
  
Mako nodded, eager to get back into the game.  
  
"Promises Mako, you're gonna get us both in trouble if you keep tagging the kids like that!"  
  
"I promis-"  
  
  
She was cut off by the sound of glass breaking, and a scream.  
  
"What the hell?" All the kids turned to face the school building.  
  
"Oh my god..." Sammy began, "That's Haruna-sensei's classroom!"   
________________________________  
  
  
Usagi felt a hand on her shoulder, "Yes, what is it?" She didn't even look back, continuing to draw her bunny. "Uh.. Usagi-chan..." Naru began, stepping backwards. The rest of the class had the same reaction.  
  
"I only want your star seed dear..." A voice hissed. Usagi froze and yet out a scream of, "OH MY-!" Seeker smacked her to the floor. "Be a nice little girl and give me your star." he pulled out his sword. "Never!" Usagi spat.   
  
The mouth of the Seeker remained expressionless, until it began to slowly curl upward. "Well, I guess we'll just have to do it the hard way then." He pulled back his sword, letting a blast of energy out, Usagi dropped to a knee just in time to see it whiz over her head and smash the glass. Naru's little cousin screamed as Seeker began to cackle. "Here, I have a present for you little girl." He pulled out a black silk bag, and a dark crystal fell out. He held it between his hands and the crystal seemed to come a live.   
  
Usagi cried out in pain, grabbing her chest. The Ginzuishou, flashed a bright white, before dying out. She fell to the floor in pain. Her heart was killing her.  
  
Literally.  
  
"Don't like this huh?" Seeker bent down to Usagi's level, hold the crystal near her. Usagi screamed again, gasping for air. The class in the back was frozen in fear. "Why doesn't she just transform?" Someone whispered. "What... is that..." Usagi gasped.  
  
"This, my dear, is a fragment of all evil. Chaos' crystallized blood. It'll eat away at your ginzuishou until you die an agonizing death... then, it will take place! The contamination of the Holy Ginzuishou! Chaos will rule again!" He went into the evil insane villain mode, shoving the Chaos crystal into her face, "Feel the pain." he spat, "Feel your death!"  
  
"Leave her alone!" A little voice cried. Hotaru, who had also been frightened stiff, now stood tall in front of her class. Every one of her classmates had their mouth open. "Sit down freak, she doesn't need your help!" Someone yelled. "Billy!" Snapped Miss Haruna. "Hotaru... please... I'm sure Usagi can handle it..." she pleaded. Hotaru whipped her head to face them, "Don't you understand? Can't you see, our are you all too blinded by the dream of peace and love? He's killing her. Sailor Moon is not invincible." She pulled out her wand, and Kyusuke grinned realizing what it was.  
  
"Do you want to play, little girl?" Seeker stood up, over the unconscious Usagi.   
  
"Saturn Crystal Power... MAKE UP!" Hotaru was instantly transformed into Super Sailor Saturn.  
  
"No way..."  
  
"I told you she was different..."  
  
"I don't believe it!"  
  
"Under the protection of the Silent Star... here I am, Sailor Saturn!" Saturn pulled out her Galilee. "Leave, otherwise you will die."   
  
"Ha, the Sailor Soldier of destruction and revolution. You were the one possessed by Mistress 9, were you not? It's a shame you gave up such incredible powers." Seeker took a step forward.  
  
"Evil holds no power but corruption." Hotaru snarled. The stood staring at each other for a little while. "Is that so? Well then feel my power of corruption!" Seeker sent out an enormous beam of energy.   
  
Hotaru realized where it was headed, and dove towards the class, "Silence Wall!" she shouted. Where are Minako and Mako?! A purple force field, blocked the class from any harm. The little senshi was on her feet in an instant. "Silence Glaive Surprise!" The sudden attack caught Seeker off guard and sent him crashing away from Usagi. Just then the door flew open, and three figures stepped inside.  
  
"USAGI!" Minako and Mako were over her in an instant, leaving Shingo to stare dumbly at the class, and then at Saturn. "Hotaru?"  
  
"Shingo! Get everyone out of here!" Minako shouted. "NO!" Seeker screeched, "No one is leaving! Welcome to my party of Hell!" All the doors and windows were slammed shut, and a black glow surrounded them.  
  
The two conscious Inner Senshi stood with their backs facing each other, hovering over Usagi. "That guy is bloody insane!" Minako hissed. Mako nodded watching the Seeker stand up.   
  
"You ready girlfriend?" Mako asked, pulling out her henshin wand.  
  
Minako nodded, "Hai, If we don't get out of this... it's been a pleasure Mako-chan." Mako smiled, "See ya on the flip side."  
  
"Jupiter Crystal Power... MAKE UP!"  
  
"Venus Crystal Power... MAKE UP!"  
  
"This is for all the pain you caused us! For Rei and Ami and Usagi, take your punishment in the name of Venus..."  
  
"And Jupiter."  
  
"Oh, you girls are charming." Seeker pulled out his sword, "So, who's first to die?"   
  
"You of course!" Both girls snapped back. "Heh... heh... we'll see..." Seeker charged toward Jupiter, swinging his sword dangerously.   
  
"Jupiter Oak... EVOLUTION!" Seeker easily dodged her attack. "Double team him!" Minako shouted, rolling in front of the children and Miss Haruna, "Back off guys, as soon as you can, run... got it?" They all nodded. "Good." She and Jupiter continued to jump and fend off his attacks, until they had him in the right place.  
  
"Jupiter Supreme Thunder!"  
  
"Venus Love and Beauty... SHOCK!" The lightning was absorbed by the heart, sending it towards the enemy. Seeker laughed as the shots missed, "You couldn't hit a truck with a shot like that! You were aiming for me right?" He meant for the last part to be sarcastic, but the girls just smiled, "Nope, actually... we hit it right on." Mako grinned from ear to ear as Seeker turned around just in time to see the last child escape through the hole in the wall.   
  
"DAMN YOU!" Seeker flew towards the unexpectant Jupiter, stabbing her in the chest. "NO MAKO!" Usagi woke up just in time to see him commit the act. "No... Jupiter.... I guess you were right. This is our destiny." Minako just stood there, waiting for the Seeker to take her star seed too.   
  
"Go ahead, kill me. I'm ready to die, I've had enough fighting." Minako watched as the Seeker raised his sword toward her, poised at her heart, "You are not afraid then?" He questioned. "As long as the princess is alive, I will always have hope. I have nothing to be afraid of." Minako said calmly as Jupiter began to fade. "Have a nice trip." Seeker laughed.  
  
"NOOOOOOOOOOOO!" Usagi watched as her last Inner senshi fell and disappeared, "Bye Usagi, keep fighting for us girlfriend!" Minako said weakly before fading into orange and yellow glimmers.  
  
"That's cruel... damn you!" Saturn cried, helping Usagi to her feet. "I know." The Seeker laughed evilly, "Until next time ladies!" There was a puff of black smoke, and Hotaru and Usagi were the only ones left in the destroyed classroom.  
  
"No... Hotaru... they're all gone! They can't be gone!" Usagi was shaking with anger and sadness. "They're just hiding right?" She asked desperately. "Please Hota-chan, tell them to come back out now!" Hotaru but an arm around her from behind and said softly,   
  
"Usagi-chan... Princess... it's time to let go of them."  
  
"Never, I'll never let go of my friends! Not now, not ever!"  
  
"Then this is going to be even harder then I thought."  
  
_____________l_e_t__f_a_t_e__d_e_c_i_d_e_________________  
  
"I have an announcement to make." Were the first words out of Genma Staotome's mouth when they sat down to dinner.   
  
"What, you're moving out? Paying us back for all damages to the dojo and house?" Nabiki asked raising an eyebrow.  
  
"No! Even better!" Everyone gave him a blank stare.  
  
"I'm calling my little sister!" He was obviously proud of himself for thinking of such a great plan. The rice in Ranma's mouth flew everywhere.  
  
Silence.  
  
"Why the hell is that so important?" Ranma questioned.  
  
Soun began to cry, "She's going to help find my baby daughter Akane, isn't she?" He was wailing with joy, "Thank you old friend!"  
  
"We're still talking about Auntie Ikuko... aren't we?" Ranma sat back on his heels.  
  
"Duh, boy, how many imoutos do you think I have?" Genma knew what Ranma was getting at.   
  
"One. But if I remember correctly, she only let me stay at the house. She made you stay at a hotel because if I remember correctly, and I quote: "... I don't want to see your face around here Genma, you're only trying to get money and food off of me, you stupid over-grown terd!"   
  
Nabiki shook with silent laughter, "Ikuko? As in Tsukino Ikuko?" she inquired. "Yeah... you know her?" Ranma had a confused look on his face. Nabiki put a finger to her lips, "Well... our mom and her were very good friends, so she used to come over and visit... Akane, of course, was too young to remember..." Her voice trailed off.  
  
"That's so kind of you employ your sister to help look for Akane Mr. Saotome!" Kasumi said brightly.  
  
"Uh... well..." Genma put a hand behind his head.  
  
"Oh! OH! I see now, you want to call her to get USAGI to help look for Akane, don't you?" Ranma was slightly angered at his father's plan.  
  
"Well..."  
  
"So you're going to *use* poor Usagi? I think she's been through enough trama these past few weeks, a day here would probably be the end of her!" Nabiki was starting to figure it out.  
  
"Pop! How could you think of something so nasty! You never even send her a birthday card every year! She's going to hate you!"  
  
"Look boy, do you want to find Akane or not?!" Genma snapped.  
  
"Hell YES I want to find Akane!" Ranma slammed his fist down on the table. Realizing just how strong his reply was, he blushed.  
  
Genma wolfed down the last bite of his ramen, "Then you'll be so kind as to hand me the phone, wouldn't you?"  
  
Ranma stood up, ripping the phone out of the wall and slamming it down on the table in front of Genma. "It's broken!" Genma announced after not picking up a dial tone.  
  
"That could be because you have to *plug* it *into* the wall. Here, let me welcome you into the nineteenth century by showing you how." Nabiki stood up and lead him over to the nearest phone jack in the house. "See? Watch as I plug it in! Amazing!" She handed the phone to him, "Now try."  
  
Genma punched in the numbers he had memorized from the phone book, a confident grin on his face.  
  
*ring*  
  
*ring*  
  
*ring*  
  
With each ring, the smile faded until a female voice picked up, "Hello, Tsukino residence."  
  
Genma found his voice stuck in his throat, "Is ... is this Ikuko?"  
  
"Hai it is, who's this?"   
  
"It's *cough*genma*cough*." he answered quickly.  
  
"Genma... as in my older brother?" she asked icily.  
  
"Yep." he squeaked.  
  
"Oh kami Genma, what happened to Ranma? Is he all right?" she asked in a concerned voice.  
  
"In a way." Genma replied sheepishly, glancing over his should to where the others were still sitting at the table, staring at him intently.  
  
"Christ Genma, what's wrong with Ranma?" Her voice was almost panicked now.  
  
"Well... you remember how Soun and I always joked and talked about engaging our kids?" He could practically *feel* Ranma's burning gaze on his back.  
  
"Yes... oh Genma, you didn't... Ranma and who?"  
  
"Akane..." he answered.   
  
"At least she's cute." Ikuko sighed, "Go on." Genma was about to comment on the cute comment, but decided not to push his luck, considering Ikuko's friendship with Akane's mother.  
  
"Well... Akane's been kidnapped." Genma said lamely.  
  
"Oh c'mon Genma, you're gonna have to come up with a better excuse then that if you want money to 'help look for her'. According to Ranma's letters, she's been kidnapped more then a few times." She snorted.  
  
"Ranma writes you letters?" Genma asked shocked. In the background, Ranma coughed innocently.  
  
"Hai, ever since he knew how to write." She answered as if it was obvious.  
  
"Well... that's just... special..." Genma couldn't think of any other words to use.  
  
"I'll be going now, I need to wash the dishes."  
  
"Imouto, I'm not lying about Akane, it's really bad, we don't know where she is this time. All we found was blood. We need Usagi's help to look for her." Genma was pleading with her.  
  
"Well Onii-chan," she nearly spat the name, "Usagi has her own problems. Ever watch the news brother? Her friends are gone too, except they're all dead." Ikuko sounded cold and furious. Genma made a mental note to start watching the news.  
  
"Akane could be dead too." Genma instantly regretted saying those words when he heard Kasumi drop the glass plates and Soun Tendo start wailing incoherently.  
  
"I cannot believe you just said that. Death is not something to joke around with." she snapped.  
  
"Let me talk to her pop... please?" Ranma asked from behind him. Genma grunted, "Your nephew, the girly letter writer wants to talk to you." He shoved the phone in Ranma's face.  
  
"Auntie Ikuko?" He asked.  
  
"Hai, Ranma, you need to tell me the truth... is your fiancee really missing this time?" She questioned.   
  
"Auntie, I wouldn't kid about something like this. She's really gone, I couldn't save her this time." He answered glumly.  
  
"I believe you Ranma, only your father would try something like that to get money." She paused as if thinking of what to say next, "You know what Ranma, you and Usagi seem to be having the same problem."  
  
"What's that?" he inquired.  
  
"You're constantly blaming yourself for something that's not your fault. You would have saved her if you could Ranma, but you couldn't have."   
  
"No this time, it's really my-"  
  
"Ranma, you'll have to ask Usagi, herself, for help. It's her decision to make."  
  
"All right, will you put her on?"  
  
"Sure thing sweetie, hold on."  
  
Ranma heard her set down the phone and walk away, shouting: "Usagi! Telephone... It's Ranma!" His heart skipped a beat as he heard foot steps approaching and a faint voice saying, "All right... I'm coming, I'm coming..."  
  
"Hello?" A haggard voice asked.   
  
"Hey cuz." He replied.  
  
"Hey cuz." Was the immediate response.  
  
"Are you all right?" He asked.  
  
"I'll live." She seemed tired to him.  
  
"Are you sure, it sounds like you'll fade away any second." He joked.   
  
Silence.  
  
"Usagi? I'm sorry, what did I say?" he panicked. He heard her sniffle.  
  
"It's nothing, what do you need?" she asked, perking up a little.  
  
"Okay... well... you know my fiancee?"  
  
"Yeah Akane, they one you're secretly in love with?" She giggled.  
  
"Yeah that's- Hey! I am not in love with her!" He snapped back a little bit too quickly.  
  
"Uh-huh... go on..." she urged him to continue.  
  
"She's gone." Then he added as if it was an afterthought, "She was kidnapped."  
  
Well that makes two of us, my darling cousin, except mine is gone until I can get his star seed back.  
  
"I see... and you want me to come, because I'm Sailor Moon, to help find her." Usagi let out a bitter laugh.  
  
"No, it ain't what you think! That was Pop's idea, not mine!" He heard his father grunt in the background.   
  
"But the only reason you're asking is because I'm Sailor Moon, right?"   
  
"No! I'm asking because," he lowered his voice so someone, namely Nabiki, couldn't hear and sell the information, "It feels like I should be asking."  
  
Usagi remained silent. "Tell me Ranma, how much do you love Akane?"  
  
Ranma blinked, "Uh.. well... um..." He could've smacked himself, every time someone brought up the situation of love, he got tongue tied.  
  
"A lot." He managed to squeeze out in a tight voice.  
  
"You'll have to do better then that Ranma. A lot better. I won't help you unless she's that important to you."   
  
Ranma didn't say anything.  
  
"Ranma, I've lost six of the most important people in my life in the duration of two days. They're gone. They may never come back. You have to tell me how much you love her, if she means enough to you for you to risk your life."  
  
"Yes Usagi, she means a lot to me." Then he dropped his voice, turning his back to his friends and family so they couldn't read his lips (Nabiki and his father were getting very good...) "Usagi, I actually cried myself to sleep last night. It hurts so much to think she's gone and that I couldn't protect her."   
  
Usagi's voice came out tight with emotion, "I understand Ranma. I will help you."  
  
"Thank you so much Usagi... I'll help you look for your friends too." He promised.  
  
"I'll see you in a couple of days."  
  
"All right, hey Usagi?"  
  
"Yes?"   
  
"Don't tell anyone what I said 'kay? I'd like to tell it to her before anyone else."   
  
Usagi laughed, "I promise, bye Ran!"  
  
"Bye Usa."  
  
Both clicked off at the same time.  
  
Ranma turned to where the remaining Tendos and his father were waiting anxiously.  
  
"Well?" Genma began.  
  
"She's coming." He kicked his father out the door into the pond. A giant panda emerged a second later, "And THAT'S for calling me girly!" He ran into his room and slammed the door shut.  
  
  
_______________________  
  
  
"And then you came home, right?" Kenji asked Hotaru from where he and the rest of the Tsukino family were sitting in their living room.  
  
Well, excluding Usagi that is.  
  
She was still yanking away on the phone when Ikuko entered the room.  
  
"Minako and Makoto are gone too then?" She asked sadly. Hotaru and Shingo nodded, "Everyone will know by tomorrow morning." he added.   
  
"Hey Hotaru?" He inquired.  
  
"Hai Shingo?" She retorted.  
  
"What possessed you to transform in front of everyone? You know that they won't leave you alone now..."  
  
"Yes dear, why did you?" Ikuko asked, rubbing her tired eyes.  
  
"I would rather be bothered then have the prin- er... Usagi die." They seemed to like that answer. But Kenji was ever presistant, "But what are the Senshi... what is the job or rather roles of them?"  
  
Hotaru paused, thinking out a good answer, "The Inner Senshi, Mars, Mercury, Venus, and Jupiter, have the duty of protecting Usagi, Sailor Moon, and defending the Earth from invading evil. The Outer Senshi, Neptune, Uranus, Pluto, and myself, used to have the duty of protecting the universe as a whole, but in these days we find ourselves mainly focusing on the same goals as the Inner Senshi." She finished.  
  
"But why must you protect Usagi?" Ikuko probed.  
  
Hotaru stood up as Usagi entered the room, "That I cannot tell you." She replied simply.  
  
"Usagi, did you settle things with Ranma?" Kenji asked his daughter.  
  
"Hai, we leave for Nerima in two days."  
  
__________________________________  
  
UGH... 22 pages. Ugh again. I'll be gone for about a week, but expect a the final chapter of Be Still My Heart out by then. I *have* to finish that thing before I go back to school, otherwise, I'll never finish.. and that would just suck...   
  
Explanation for the title: Hold My Hand. I really like this title, it can mean many things for all the different characters, but it mostly symbolizes their search for guidance and relief from pressure and stress. Make sense? Most of the titles come from song lyrics, but not this one.  
  
All right, that's all for a little while!  
  
Luvs and hugs  
Chibi Acky  
  
http://www.earthandmoon.homestead.com/chibivbabe.html  
  
()()()()()()()()()()  
  
Almost forgot again... I don't own Sailor Moon or Ranma. Wow.  
  



	7. Wonderful

"World Shaking!"  
  
"Uranus, NO!"  
  
"Run Saturn, go warn the princess!"  
  
"But Michi-mama..."  
  
"Please, Hotaru, go!"  
  
"Yes, I will warn the princess."  
______________  
Back again, back again. I wonder if this chapter is going to be better then the last? Hmmm... maybe... You know, I read somewhere that you're not supposed to make fun of your stories... well, I just can't help it! ^.^; Sorry this is kinda late coming out, I've been really busy with school stuff and my website(s) are a mess! Enjoy and please R/R!  
  
------------------------------H---E---R---O---S ----------------------------  
  
Please Don't Tell Me Everything is Wonderful Now....  
  
__________________________  
  
"So the first of the priests are in our control, right?" It was a dark woman, her skin highlighted by her pure velvet robes.  
  
Seeker nodded, "And eight of the Senshi have been destroyed." He fingered the Star Seeds in his pouch. He'd be damned before he gave those up. The Woman's crimson eyes narrowed, "You're hiding something from me!" she accused. Seeker was glad he didn't have eyes, otherwise she would have been able to read them like a book.  
  
"I have nothing to hide."  
  
The dark room they were in was only light by a few scattered candles. "At last, Chaos shall rule the world in darkness! Bwahahaha... BWAHAHAHAH!" Seeker took that as his cue to leave.  
  
Evil laughter just wasn't the same as it used to be.   
  
His boots were scuffing the black marble floor, receiving dirty glares from those who had spent the entire day cleaning it. He passed them by, the slaves in the rag clothes that were falling off of them, and continued to the stone staircase, heading down two flights into the dungeon.  
  
He walked to the fourth door on the left, peering (with no eyes, only extra terrestrial sight) into the small window lined with metal bars. Inside the girl had curled up into a ball in the corner. Her short hair was matted, and her face and hands were dirty. She glanced in his direction, without really looking at him. Her eyes were practically empty from hunger and light, and her skin looked a dull gray in the light.  
  
She had only been there for three days.  
  
___w_i_t_h_o_u_t__m_y__p_r_i_d_e___  
  
'Ikuko! It's been so long!" The perverted master of the Anything Goes Martial Arts cried. Ikuko got a disgusted look on her face as she opened the trunk to get their suitcases out. Happosai was a small old man who was older then Ikuko and Kenji put together, yet he refused to die. He started to train Genma Saotome, her brother, and Soun Tendo when she was a few years short of being a teenager. Once she had blossomed into womanhood, Happosai could often be found stealing her panties and bras from her drawer, and glomping onto her, as he normally did in Nerima.  
  
"Not long enough." She spat.  
  
"Oh, such a bad attitude from such a busty woman!" Happosai attempted to latch himself on to her bosom. She slammed him to the ground with her elbow, pulling out her much feared spatula from her purse and waving it dangerously towards him, "I'm warning you Happosai, you touch me our my daughter, and I will shove this spatula so far up your ass, IT WILL BE COMING OUT OF YOUR MOUTH!" She drop kicked the Anything Goes Master into the air.  
  
"Ikuko's here." Genma said monotones, looking up from his and Soun's game.  
  
Kenji and Shingo kept their distance from Ikuko until she put her spatula away.  
  
"Ohayo Auntie Ikuko!" Kasumi called brightly from the wooden door. "Hello Kasumi, my! Look how much you've grown into a lovely woman!" Ikuko gave the blushing girl a hug. Kenji and Shingo managed to haul all six bags from the car without killing themselves, but not before Shingo lost his balance, sending them both crashing to the ground.  
  
"I see that you balance hasn't improved Tsukino." Genma called.  
  
Shingo could hear his father growl and he had no idea what was upsetting him so badly. "I see your figure hasn't either!" He snapped back. Genma looked offended. Ikuko glanced him up and down, "He's right, it hasn't."   
  
"IMOUTO!" Genma cried.  
  
Ikuko smiled and winked at Kasumi. Soun, meanwhile, was glancing around, "Where is our savior?" He inquired.  
  
Ikuko, Kenji, and Shingo gave him a blank stare.  
  
"Usagi, I mean..." He corrected himself.  
  
Shingo cracked up laughing, "He... hahahaha... must think.... hahaha... highly of Usagi...." Ikuko sprouted a demon head, "AND YOU SHOULD TOO!" Shingo shrunk back behind his father.  
  
"Your 'savior' which by the way, I wouldn't recommend calling her to her face, was hungry so we dropped her off at a restaurant so she wouldn't be in a bad mood." Kenji explained, picking up the suitcases that Shingo had dropped.  
  
Ranma jumped down from the top of the Dojo's steps, "Aunt Ikuko! Uncle Kenji!" He waved. And everyone watched as Ikuko teared up. "Oh... look how much he's grown!" She cried. She was hugging Ranma so tightly he thought his ribcage was going to break. "Ikuko, he won't grow to be any bigger if you suffocate him to death..." Kenji gently pried his wife from his nephew. Ranma shot him a thankful look. "Hey Shingo, what's cooking?"   
  
Shingo grinned, "Nothing."  
  
"Ranma, why don't you go find Usagi, it's almost time for dinner." Kasumi suggested.  
  
"I don't know if he'll be able to find her..." Ikuko trailed off.  
  
Ranma smiled, "All I have to do is look for the two blonde Odangos, right? Ja!" He ran by them, eager to see his cousin.  
  
"Ranma, wait! She doesn't have her hair like that today! Awww... nevermind...."  
  
________________  
  
There was a great roll of thunder, and Usagi bit her lip, patting her empty stomach in distress. Glancing around her, she only saw one restaurant. Then her mother's words entered her mind:  
  
'Don't fill up too much Usagi-chan, Kasumi promised up a nice dinner!'  
  
So Usagi was left to wander around Nerima with an empty stomach. Her spagetti-strap pink dress flared a little around the waist, and she left her hair down to fall to her waist. She held the umbrella over herself, waiting for the incoming rain. She glanced up, and the sun shone stared down at her with equal intensity. She sighed, it hadn't been thunder, it had been her stomach.  
  
She kept the umbrella up, shielding her from the sun. She glanced into a window, watching a boy intently from where she was sitting on a bench. The boy was thin and very strange looking, but he seemed to be trying to throw pieces of paper at the people sitting around him. Usagi laughed when someone came up and handed the strips of paper to him.   
  
I think I might be able to help him...  
  
_______  
  
Usagi stepped into Ucchan's and glanced around her. The restaurant was relatively empty, but she received several greetings non the less. She sat down on the counter as a girl about her age came up from behind the counter, "Hi, welcome to Ucchan's! What would you like?" Usagi resisted the urge to shout, "FOOD!", but restrained herself by saying, "A glass of water, please." The young girl nodded, reaching for a glass as she stared at Usagi who was staring at the boy throwing the papers.  
  
"Here ya go sugar, I don't believe I've seen you around here before..." The brown-haired girl began.  
  
"I'm from Juuban, my name is Usagi." Usagi could have smacked herself for giving out her real name. "Usagi from Juuban, huh? My fiancee has a cousin from there and her name is Usagi!" She leaned across the counter and whispered in her ear as Usagi took a sip of water, "And she's also Sailor Moon, but don't tell anyone I told you that!" Usagi held back from spraying her water all over the girl and counter, choking on it instead.  
  
"Usagi? Usagi? Are you all right?" The girl was patting her back as Usagi managed to cough up all the water.   
  
"You must be Ukyou, Ranma's friend!" Usagi managed to cry between chokes. Ukyou's eyes widened, "Oh my gosh, you're Sailph-!" Usagi placed a hand over Ukyou's mouth, "SHHHH! I'm trying to keep a low profile here!"  
  
"Sorry!" Ukyou sheepishly apologized.  
  
"That's all right!" Usagi said brightly, wondering why Ukyou was staring at her like at. "They want you to help find Akane, don't they?"  
  
Usagi nodded. She remembered everything Ranma had written about his fiancees in his letters. She knew he loved all of them, but two were just loved as friends.   
  
Ukyou sighed and threw up her hands helplessly, "I should just give you, you know? I mean it's obvious he doesn't feel the same way... maybe if I quit soon enough, I can just move on with my life and find someone before I turn eighty!" Usagi smiled at girl sadly and placed a hand over hers.  
  
"I know it must be hard, but would you rather feel unloved by someone when you could have someone that will make you feel loved?" Usagi asked softly. Ukyou looked up, "You know, you're right. I've been stubborn all this time... if I can't be Ranma's wife, then I'll be his best friend!" She struck a dramatic pose before screeching:  
  
  
"GOSUNKUGI! Look at the mess you've made! You're scaring the customers!"  
  
Usagi turned around from where she was standing behind the counter. Hikari Gosunkugi was the 'paper boy' she had seen earlier. Ukyou leaned over and explained that he was one the boys that was in love with Akane, but was weak and a scaredy-cat. "So lately, he's been trying to use magic to *try* to defeat his enemies (the bullies that always picked on him), but this is just stupid! He's throwing paper, and at the worst, he's giving people paper cuts!"   
  
"Akoo Ryo Tai Pie San!" He threw another piece of paper at the empty seat in front him. He sighed dejectedly and reached for another sheet of paper, before realizing he didn't have any left. Usagi bit her lip to keep from smiling and excused herself to walk over to him.  
  
"Hello." She said standing in front of him. He didn't say anything. Usagi rolled her eyes, "Being silent won't scare me into thinking you're some macho jerk." Gosunkugi sighed, "It never does."   
  
Usagi laughed. "What? How is that funny to you?" The boy was offended. Usagi held up her hands innocently, "It's not anything like that, I was just noticing on your scrolls, you were missing a stroke..." She trailed off and pointed to where he had missed it. He blushed a bright red, and quickly added it. "Akooo Ryoooooo...."  
  
"STOP!" Gosunkugi looked over to Usagi. "I'm sorry to tell you this, but you have the words wrong too." Gosunkugi looked depressed. Usagi patted his shoulder, "They're Aku Ryo Tai San, not whatever you were saying." Both he and Ukyou looked surprised.  
  
"How did you know that, sugar?"   
  
Usagi smiled, "One of my best friends is... was... a Shinto priestess. She's mastered the art, and she's even done it to me once or twice." Gosunkugi tried again this time, the paper seemed to snap right, but otherwise it didn't work. Usagi frowned, "You have to embrace the fire... or whatever it was Rei-chan said... well anyways, I guess it just takes practice." She shrugged. Gosunkugi nodded and began to gather the paper around him. "Thank you...?"  
  
"Usagi."  
  
"Thanks. See ya around Ukyou!" She waved as he exited. Both girls stared at each other.  
  
*BAM!*  
  
Ukyou pulled her huge spatula out from behind her back, and Usagi blinked at it's size. "Who the hell are you?" She growled. There was a familiar figure standing in front of them now, brushing himself off. Ukyou nearly cried, it was going to cost a fortune to fix the roof.  
  
"I know his name." Ukyou was surprised at how cold Usagi's voice was.  
  
"That's right, you would, wouldn't you?" The figure stepped out of the shadows casted by the sinking sun. Ukyou cringed at the sight of his eyeless sockets and mouth. Seeker's black jacket hung loosely around his body, and Ukyou and Usagi were both wondering how he could have smashed through the roof so easily.  
  
Ah, must be though damn steel boots... Usagi winced at the memory of the boots slamming into her ribcage.  
  
"Seeker... Ukyou, run!" Usagi hissed. Ukyou gave her a look and shook her head. "Sorry sugar, but if it's in my restaurant, I'm fighting it."  
  
"So little princess, are you going to sacrifice your friend, or are you going to feel the pain?" Seeker pulled out his sword.   
  
Usagi said nothing, but watched as a metal streak flew through the air. Ukyou's small spatula was caught by Seeker as if it was nothing.  
  
"Oh... crap..."  
  
"Ukyou, this is your last chance to run. I'm sorry, but I can't let anyone else get hurt because of me. If you are harmed, it has to be on your conscious and not mine." Usagi took up a weak fighting stance, biting her lip to keep from crying out in pain.  
  
"Sorry hun, I all ready told you, I'm staying!"  
  
Seeker took this distraction and used it to throw a small ball of dark energy at the girls. Both jumped back, and Ukyou threw a spatula, barely nipping Seeker on the shoulder.  
  
"Nice try, little girl..."  
  
"Hey, uh, Usagi... I know this might come out the wrong way, but can't you just transform into Sailor Moon and dust the guy?" Ukyou looked at her new friend pleadingly.  
  
Usagi shook her head, "I can't."  
  
"NANI?!"  
  
"It's just what I said, I can't transform at the moment, something is wrong with my brooch!" Usagi was thrown into a nearby wall, crashing through to the other side. Ukyou winced for Usagi and her restaurant.  
  
"Usagi! Are you all right?" She called, ducking another ball of energy.  
  
"Yeah... just a couple of scratches!" she called weakly to Ukyou, standing up. She nearly lost her footing.  
  
"Oh... little girl...." Ukyou turned just in time to see Seeker kick her in the gut. Her breath escaped and she doubled over in pain.  
  
"Now priestess of storms, you're coming with me..." He bent down to pick her up...  
  
  
The beam of light slammed into him, sending him flying backwards. He stood up quickly, "DAMN!" he swore. The look he was receiving from all three of the teenagers in the room would have killed any normal man.  
  
"I'm outnumbered, until next time my sweet princess!" He threw down a small stone and with a flash of smoke and a black light, Seeker was gone.  
  
"I'm GOING TO KILL YOU! I swear to god I will!" Usagi put her hands around her mouth, screaming it as if he was still there.  
  
"Me?!" Ranma squeaked, helping Ukyou stand. Was that Usagi? The girl screaming at the disappeared attacker had silver hair, not the sunkissed blonde he remembered from the pictures he received every year. Even at the distance he was, he could see how cold her eyes were, a deep piercing blue, instead of the lightly baby blue they should have been. Her shoulder seemed to be bleeding, and her hair was a mess. She looked to be favoring her left foot. And yet still, she was screaming.  
  
"I'm going to get you back, I swear it on the moon!"  
  
"Usa?" Ranma called. Usagi seemed to snap out of her mood, "Ranma?" She grinned and waved. Ranma fought a gigantic sweatdrop; one minute she's threating to kill someone, and the next she's smiling and waving, making her way through the broken wall of Ucchan's.  
  
"Ukyou, are you all right?" She asked, limping all the way over.  
  
"What... are... those... shoes... made of?" she gasped, clutching onto her friend.   
  
Usagi winced, "Steel. Trust me, I know first hand."  
  
Ranma scratched his head, "Uh... maybe we should bring you both to Dr. Tofu's... you're looking pretty beat up..." Both girls shot him a dirty look.  
  
"Hey, I ain't done nothing wrong! I was the one who save the both of you!" He seemed to proud of himself. Usagi and Ukyou both rammed their fists into his smug face, leaving him twitching feet first into the ground. Usagi looked at Ukyou.  
  
"Which way to Dr. Tofu's?"  
  
(*(*(*(*(*(*)*)*)*)*)*)  
  
"My, my, my... a twisted ankle, a minor concussion, three broken ribs, and a sprained wrist... dear lord, are you a martial artist too?" Dr. Tofu inquired after inspecting her ribs. Usagi laughed, examining her new bandages, "Nope, that's Ranma's gig in life." She pointed a thumb at Ranma who was holding a bag of ice to his head. Dr. Tofu had always been the doctor of Akane, especially when she was younger and she would get hurt fighting the guys day after day. She used to be in love with him, even though he never picked it up, but she realized that it was really Kasumi he loved, and not even she could change his mind.  
  
"Ah, so you're in the super hero business?" He asked, turning his attention towards Ukyou to finish wrapping up her ribs.  
  
"Unfortunately."  
  
"So..." Ranma tried to cut the silence that followed Usagi's comment. "Pops and Mr. Tendo were so excited about seeing you, that they didn't even notice you weren't there. Then, Happosai came out and your mother drop kicked him in the sky.... Usa? Usagi are you even listening to me?"   
  
No, of course she wasn't.  
  
She was staring at a picture on Dr. Tofu's desk, and her mind flashed back to the picture Hotaru had drawn. She hopped off the examination bed, limping over to the desk and picking it up with a delicate hand. She studied it for a minute, it looked like it was a recent school picture.  
  
"Ranma... who's the girl in this picture?" Her voice was strangely calm, surprising herself.  
  
Ranma looked up, his eyes flashing with sadness, "That's Akane."  
  
Usagi felt like she had been hit in the stomach by Seeker all over again. She was shaking, pointing a finger at the picture, but no one in the room said a word.   
  
"Hey Hotaru-chan, whatcha drawing?"   
"Oh... it's nothing..."   
"No, it's really good... it some how looks familiar to me..."   
"It's from a dream I had, see here. He's always saying your name in my dream, and he's crying over a body of the girl. See, there you are next to the Disu no Miko."  
"The Priestess of Ice?"   
  
Ranma was waving a hand in front of her face, "Yoo hoo, earth to Usagi!"  
  
No tricks little girl, the Disu no Miko is with us now...  
Another person you failed to save... what a shame...  
  
Usagi's lip began to tremble, "Uso..." She whispered. Her knees nearly gave out underneath herself. Her hands was shaking , and her voice stuttering. "Ran-Ranma.... he.. she... I ... he took her! He took her!" She was shaking her head as if it was not a possibility.   
  
*Another* person she failed to save; and she had even be Ranma's fiancee.  
  
"It's from a dream I had, see here. He's always saying your name in my dream, and he's crying over a body of the girl. See, there you are next to the Disu no Miko."  
  
...he's crying over a body of the girl... Somehow the words took on a new meaning. The boy was *crying* over Akane's body... did that make the boy in the white robes Ranma? No...  
  
She let out a choked sob, crumbling to the floor.  
  
"Usagi, are you all right? What's wrong?" Dr. Tofu was helping her to her feet.   
  
"Ranma, he took her!" Usagi cried, shaking her head in disbelief.  
  
"Who took who, Usa?" Ranma placed his hands on her shoulders.  
  
"Seeker... Seeker took Akane!"  
  
+++++++++++++  
  
You know what I realized? I've been spelling 'HEROES' 'HEROS' ^^; oops, that is so incredibly not cool... I've gotten my inspiration back for this story, and I think I know what's going to happen... what did you think?  
  
luvs and hugs  
Chibi Acky  
  
http://minako.bored.org  
blacklady.nu  
  
  
  
  



	8. One Breath

Heroes (part 7): One Breath  
By Chibi Acky  
Disclaimer: No own... no money.. no sue..  
  
"spoken"  
thoughts  
  
***********  
Author's notes: I know many people don't like this story, but you know, I do try. Even one review for this story is good enough for me. So please, all you readers out there, review stories. Not just necessarily mine, but everyone's. I don't think readers understand how hard it is to actually write a REALLY good fanfiction, because they've never tried. Even if they suck, the authors really do try.  
  
*takes a bow* Thank you very much.  
  
***********  
  
"Who's Seeker?" Hope rose in Ranma's chest.  
  
"HE'S THE ONE THAT KICKED ME!" Ukyou practically shrieked, interesting Dr. Tofu.  
  
Usagi managed to pull herself together, "I should have known..." she whispered, "I should have seen this coming..."  
  
"Who's Seeker?" Ranma repeated, thoroughly annoyed.  
  
Usagi began to pace, and Ukyou and Dr. Tofu remained silent.  
  
"HELLO?!" Ranma cried, throwing his hands up in the air. Everyone stopped to stare at him.  
  
"What?"  
  
"WHO THE HELL IS SEEKER?!" He hollered.  
  
Usagi frowned, "I don't know! Honestly Ran, he came out of *nowhere*... he killed everybody Ranma, he killed the *SENSHI*, he almost killed Ukyou and me!" Her voice was high in emotion.  
  
"Calm down Usagi-chan, you're out of control." Dr. Tofu told her softly, yet very firmly.  
  
"I AM NOT OUTTA CONTROL! *SEEKER* IS OUT OF CONTROL!!! I AM GOING TO KIL-" Usagi fell over into a deep sleep.  
  
"Oh my gosh!" Ukyou cried, hopping down from the examination table.  
  
"It's all right, Ukyou, don't panic... I just pushed one of her sleep pressure points..." Ranma blocked out the rest of Dr. Tofu's conversation, pondering silent to himself.  
  
So, this Seeker creep was the guy he had chased away from Ucchan's... *he* was the one who took Akane, and *he* was the one that had upset Usagi so much.  
  
"Hey Ukyou, Usagi and me have to get home, wanna come?" Ranma, literally, slugged Usagi over his shoulder.  
  
Ukyou looked mildly surprised, "Why?" She asked, "You know I can take care of myself."  
  
Ranma looked rather uncomfortable, "Yeah, I ain't dumb Uc-chan, I just don't want you to be by yourself tonight... not with that weird creepy dude after you..." Ukyou gave him a genuine smile, "Sure, Ran-chan, I don't think I want to be alone in the restaurant either..."  
  
_______________  
  
"Put me down Ran, I can walk myself... oh noohnoohnoohnononononono... nevermind, don't put down!" Wailed Usagi after she had finally awoken from her slumber. Ranma and Ukyou were gliding over the rooftops of Nerima, heading towards the Tendo Dojo.  
  
"I ain't planning on it, chill out Usa!" Ranma laughed, letting his grip ease slightly on her. Usagi was clinging onto him for dear life. Then, a thought occurred to her, and she burst out laughing. Why was she was scared? Honestly! How many times had Tuxedo Kamen carried her across rooftops? How many times had she jumped across them herself?  
  
Soon she was laughing, and even she couldn't figure out why. Ranma stopped, having to set her down on a rooftop, because of her laughter. "Are you okay Usa?" He must have thought she was going crazy. Ukyou was thinking an entirely different thing.  
  
"Maybe Dr. Tofu pressed the wrong pressure point..." she muttered. Usagi shook her head, "No, I can do it myself. I just realized that I can do this myself... I don't need you!"   
  
"She's going crazy, Ran-chan, she's gone loony on us..."  
  
"No, no, watch!" Usagi took a couple of running steps. Ukyou shut her eyes for Usagi's inevitable fall, and Ranma prepared himself to dive towards the ground to break her fall.  
  
"No Usa-!" But instead of falling, Usagi did the very opposite. She pumped her legs as hard as she could, and jumped as hard as she could. She shut her eyes, waiting for the fall which never came. She managed to land on her two feet....  
  
And without killing herself, too, to boot!  
  
"Hahahah! I did it!" She punched in fist in the air in triumph. Ranma's and Ukyou's jaws dropped and Ukyou muttered, "I don't..."  
  
"... believe it..." Ranma finished for her.  
  
"Hey, don't look so surprised! I've been fighting evil for over three years! You gotta learn how to jump from rooftop to rooftop some time!" She looked like she was about ready to give herself a pat on the back.   
  
"So you admit that you are Sailor Moon then?" Ranma called to her from the other roof.  
  
"When did I deny it?"  
  
---------------------------  
  
"WE'RE HOMEEEEEEEEEEE!" Ranma announced as the three teenagers burst through the door, eager for food.  
  
"What took you so long?" Nabiki asked, not even bothering to glance up from her magazine.  
  
"Oh my Lord... Usagi! Ranma! What happened this time?" Ikuko wiped her wet hands on her apron and walked over to them. Usagi, Ranma, and Ukyou exchanged glances.   
  
"It looks like you've all been through World War II!" Kenji exclaimed, coming up behind his wife.  
  
"Thanks Dad..." Usagi mumbled. "Well, to make a long story short, I was at Ucchan's, the restaurant Ukyou owns, and then out of no where Seeker comes crashing through the roof and tries to take Ukyou, and thenIgotsmashedthroughthewall." She tried to her best to slur the last words together, hoping her mother or father wouldn't catch them.  
  
"This is Ukyou. Ukyou, this is my mom and my dad." Usagi pointed between the three. Ukyou nodded politely, "Hello."  
  
Usagi clutched onto her mother's arm, "Mom...? Food....?" Her mouth was drooling, and she looked like she was about ready to pass out. Ikuko sighed and pointed to the already set table, putting a finger to her forehead as Ranma and Usagi tore past her. She looked apologetically at Ukyou, "I don't think there's going to be any left for you or the rest of us, dear , but I'm sure I can find something to make..." She retreated to the kitchen, nearly crashing into an exiting Kasumi. "Oh! Auntie Ikuko! Don't worry about a thing, Uncle Genma and Ranma usually eat enough that I have to make a couple extra servings." Kasumi and Ikuko exchanged knowing smiles.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Have you ever felt numb before? It's like your heart stops beating, your brain stops working, and you can't move your body in any direction. I've always wondered why this happens. When you're happy, you're numb. When you're sad, your numb, when you're nervous, you're numb, when you're scared, you're numb. I think that numbness is way to deal with some extreme emotion that has overcome our body. It's almost like a shock or something. You get so worked up, then- POOF! Nothing happens. You're body's numb and your heart's broken.   
  
I never knew that until now.   
  
I can only imagine what the princess must be going through. Only a few hours ago, I bore witness to the death of two more Senshi. The ones that had raised me like their own. I don't even want to think about it anymore, it just hurts too much. I'm hurt mentally, and I'm hurt physically.  
  
I'm hurt all over.  
  
I'm numb.  
  
I'm finally here. Maybe I can rest now...  
  
"Usagi... Serenity... help me..." She began to cry, letting her tears clean the blood off her face.  
  
_______________________________  
  
  
Eight utterly amazed faces watched as two normally savage eaters began to poke at their food. Almost simultaneously, they poked at the meat, and sighed.  
  
"Usagi-chan?" Her mother asked, giving her a slight nudge, "Do you not like it?"  
  
"Usagi... Serenity... help me..."  
  
Usagi's head snapped up, and her bottom lip began to quiver. Ranma must have heard it too, because he tensed and began to glance around. "What's wrong?" Soun asked, almost panicked.   
  
Am I hearing things? Usagi and Ranma glanced at each other. This feeling... this energy signature... it's so cold... so small... so dark... just like... Usagi choked back a sob and, literally, jumped over the table to the doorway. The stiff and frozen night air bit at her bare arms, and upon arriving at the front gate, she collapsed to her knees in sorrow.   
  
Ranma was quick to follow her outside, as was the rest of the family. Outside, Ranma nearly had a heart attack when he saw what Usagi was clutching onto desperately.  
  
"Hotaru... Hotaru-chan!" She sobbed into the little girl's hair. Ikuko clutched onto her husband's arm, and Genma and Soun could barely hear her whisper, "No... not another one... Usagi... she can't lose another one..."   
  
Even Nabiki was silent.  
  
"Princess..." The little girl managed to choke out, "Princess... Michi-mama... Haruka-papa..." She was crying, and her dark eyes weren't seeing anything. "I'm so sorry... I tried to help them..." Usagi brought the smaller girl up to her chest and clung onto her for dear life.  
  
"Shhh... Saturn, it's all right, I'm sure you did everything you could." She reassured the younger girl.  
  
"No! No! They'd still be here..." Hotaru seemed to be going limp. "I don't want to fight anymore, Usagi-chan, I just want to rest."  
  
"NO!" Usagi shrieked almost insanely, causing Ranma to take a step back. "Don't give up, Hotaru! You still have Setsuna, you still have me, you still have this universe to protect! I won't forgive you if you give up now!" Usagi gathered the girl in her arms, almost dropping her in her fit of hysteria. Ranma made a move to help, but Usagi shook him off.   
  
"No, Ranma, you don't understand how small and fragile she is!" Ranma nodded almost dumbly.  
  
"Usagi-chan, bring her inside!" Kasumi ordered, nudging both her father's and Genma's jaw's up off the ground. Usagi nodded, wisking the smaller girl inside.  
  
As she ran past Ranma, Hotaru visably stirred and moaned. Ranma sweatdropped, "Geeze, is she all right?"   
  
"What does it look like, Ranma?" Nabiki muttered, "Oh, look, she left a present for you!" Ranma, thinking what every human thinks when the word "present" is spoken sarcastically, turned around slowly.  
  
Reflecting the pale moonlight was a long silvery staff with two razor sharp ends. He jumped back, thinking it was going to spring to life at any given moment. "What... is that thing?"  
  
"I think that would be a glaive." Shingo answered.  
  
"Really?" Ranma seemed too excited, he leaned forward eager to get a better look. "Ack! Don't touch it!" Called a voice from on top of the stairs. Ranma, who had been crouching, fell backwards to land on his rear, while the other two people remaining outside whipped their heads around to face the speaker.  
  
And saw nothing.  
  
"Who are you?" Ranma asked. Where are you?  
  
"My name's Diana, what's yours?" He felt a small puff of fur brush up against his leg. Screaming, he jumped back onto Shingo. "Diana? How did you get here?" Shingo dumped Ranma off, and bent down to pick the little kitten up.   
  
"I walked."  
  
Shingo sweatdropped, "Do you know how far.... Ranma? Ranma, what's wrong?" Shingo turned to face his older cousin.   
  
"GAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH! Get it away from me! Please, Nabiki! Hide me!!!!" Ranma shrieked, clutching onto Nabiki. Shingo shot Nabiki a look that read, 'What's his problem?'  
  
"Ranma was traumatized as a kid, he can't even look at cats without having a spazz attack." Nabiki explained, taking Diana from Shingo, "A talking cat, huh? Even Shampoo can't talk when she's a cat." She scratched Diana's soft fur, and Diana let out a long purr.  
  
"Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!" Ranma covered his head with his arms, "See? SEE!? That's it's hunting call!"  
  
"And I thought Shingo was afraid of cats.... GENMA! WHAT DID YOU DO TO MY NEPHEW?!" Ikuko took Ranma's hand, "There, there, dear... we'll just have to work on this fear."   
  
"Tsukino-san?" Ikuko glanced down at the kitten, "Yes dear?"  
  
"Can I have something to eat?"  
  
~~~~~`````~~~~~~  
  
It was dark in the spare room; too dark. Feeling rather remorseful, Usagi remained at the foot of her faithful Senshi of destruction and rebirth. She closed her eyes, tilting her head towards the single moon beam that had managed to drift into the room, "I'm listening, mother, but tonight, why is it that I can't hear anything?" She murmured. Hotaru seemed to slightly stir in her sleep.  
  
I can't hear anything but my own remorseful heart. she thought miserably. Gathering the strength to stand up, she placed her hands on the first story windowsill. It was a half moon that night, and it seemed to reflect Usagi's own personal feelings. My Senshi.. my friends... my loved ones... Mamo-chan... Chibi Usa... They're almost all gone. A sob racked her body, and she kneeled down next to the window, resting her arms on top of it.  
  
"If you really were up there, Mother, wouldn't you have helped me by now? Why can't I transform, why can't I do anything anymore?"  
  
"I think you already know the answer." Came a small voice from the doorway.  
  
Usagi looked up, startled, "Diana? When did you get here?"  
  
"I'm sorry for startling you, Usagi-sama." The kitten came over and crawled in her lap, and Usagi stroked her continuing to stare out the window.  
  
"Diana... do you think that if I didn't exist... there wouldn't be any fighting? Am I truly the reason this war stays alive?"  
  
"No, Princess! Don't ever say such things! The reason the universe is still around, is because you fight for it. Don't ever turn your back on the world, Usagi-sama! We need you as our savior!" Diana yelped.  
  
"Some savior I am," Usagi bit out, "I can't even transform, I'm powerless! Some soldier I am."  
  
"Princess, you know as well as I do that with a little more courage than normal people, anyone can be a soldier." Another voice cut through the darkness. Usagi and Diana both jumped, and Usagi blushed, remembering the day she had spoken those words.  
  
"Hotaru-chan, how are you feeling?" Usagi crawled over, grabbing the younger girl's fragile hand in hers.  
  
"I hurt more in my heart than my body."   
  
"I'm sorry Hota-chan, I'm so sorry..." Usagi let a few tears slid down her cheek.  
  
"Don't be! Never be sorry for who you are. You bless people with hope and the will to live; why else do you think we fought so hard for you? Why else would we die for you? We love you Usagi-chan, for who you are."  
  
This only made Usagi cry even harder, "But *who* am I, Hotaru-chan? Am I Usagi the klutz? Serenity the princess? Or am I Sailor Moon, the champion of love and justice? I can't tell anymore Hotaru-chan, I really can't..."  
  
"Usagi, we're only what we perceive ourselves to be. You need to look inside your heart to find who you are, then you'll know..." Hotaru began to drift back into sleep, "Then you'll know..."  
  
Usagi sat there for a moment, thinking Hotaru's word's over. "Diana, I'm going for a walk..." She stood up and climbed through the open window, dashing into the night.  
  
"Just be careful, Princess."  
  
  
-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-  
  
"I don't get it, so the cat talks?" Oh, Genma could think of a thousand ways to make money off of the poor little thing...  
  
"Yes, there are three of them." Ikuko explained over her stitching.  
  
"How can they?" Nabiki inquired.  
  
"Beats the hell out of us." Kenji sighed as his wife whacked him over the head with her needle work., "One day, Usagi just brought one home, and the next thing we knew, we had two and an occasional drop in."  
  
"That still doesn't explain one thing, though." Shingo piped up, "Why is Ranma so afraid of cats?"  
  
Genma began to look VERY uncomfortable, "Uh... well..." It was a shaky start.  
  
"Uh.. well... what, Genma?" Ikuko pursed her lips together tightly as it dawned on her, "Oh.. my... Kami-sama... you DIDN'T!" In a flash, she was across the room, choking her brother. "TELL ME YOU DIDN'T TRY THE CAT FIST ON HIM!!!!"  
  
Kenji and Shingo blinked, taking a step back.  
  
"I'm sorry Imouto! I only wanted what was best for my boy..."  
  
"WHAT WAS BEST?! YOU CALL THROWING A CHILD DOWN IN A PIT OF RAVAGING CATS WHAT WAS BEST FOR HIM?!" She was shaking him now.  
  
"Calm down, honey, you need to explain it to Shingo and I." Kenji suffered extreme difficulty in pulling his wife off of strangling her brother.  
  
It took her a minute, but finally, Ikuko began in a emotionally strained voice, "It was something that our parents told us to never get involved in... but my DEAREST brother," she spat out the words, "Didn't take heed of their warning. Basically, the Cat Fist is a martial arts technique that allows the person to become agile as a cat and cut through rocks and metal with their bare hands." She paused, trying to remember the details, "You would starve fifty or so cats, leaving them in a dark pit for days without food, then you'd go down there, with fish attached to you and the cats would come and shred you. Then, if you survived, it was said the technique would come to you."  
  
Kenji and Shingo looked utterly horrified.  
  
"But don't leave out the best part, Auntie Ikuko!" Genma made a move to muffle Nabiki, but she stood up swiftly, "Mr. Saotome sent him down not once, but MULTIPLE times."  
  
"GENNNNNNMMMMMAAAAAAAA!"   
  
"He got the technique! Don't look at me like that! He's fine, just a little paranoid about cats!"  
  
"I would hardly call clinging on people and screaming, 'Get it away from me!' a little paranoid." Shingo stated dully, earning a dirty look from his uncle.  
  
"What's going on? Auntie Ikuko, why are you strangling Pops? I mean, not that it matters..." Genma's eyes twitched every so slightly as his son came in the room. "Uh... son.." The red head girl turned to face him, "What is it?"  
  
"Ranma... I think you maybe should have looked in the mirror, sugar..." A previously silent Ukyou began.  
  
"Who are you?" Kenji asked, bewildered to the red-head.  
  
"THAT'S IT GENMA SAOTOME! You brought him to Jyousenkyo? YOU BROUGHT HIM TO JYOUSENKYO?!"  
  
Ranma looked down, finally remembering his appearance. "Ohhhhhh.... craaaaaaaaaap."  
  
"Okay, well, this isn't the strangest thing I've ever seen." Kenji began in a strangled voice as his wife chased her brother around the room with a spatula.  
  
"Yes it is."  
  
"What's Jyousenkyo?" Shingo asked as calmly as he could.  
  
"Well, it all started out when Pop's decided to take us for a little training trip in China..." Ranma began.  
  
(Two hours later)  
  
"... and since then, when ever I get cold water dumped on me, I turn into a girl, and when I get hot water dumped on me, I turn back into a boy."  
  
Dead silence.  
  
"Well, that is interesting..." Kenji remarked slowly.  
  
"So there's a girl that turns into a cat..." Shingo began.  
  
"Shampoo the Amazon." Ranma supplied.  
  
"A boy that turns into a little black piglet..."  
  
"Ryouga the eternally lost boy."  
  
"A boy that turns into a mixture of things..."  
  
"Pantyhose Tauro, my self-proclaimed rival."  
  
"And a boy that turns into a goose?"  
  
"That's Mousse, and remember, he's a duck. Don't get them confused or he'll be upset."  
  
"Riiiiiiigggghhhhtttt."  
  
(An hour later)  
  
"So when you scared enough, you go into Neko (cat) mode?"  
  
"Yup." Ranma almost seemed proud.  
  
"And the only way to turn you back is to dump cold water over your head?" Ikuko questioned, pasting things together in her mind.  
  
"Well... Akane used to be able to pull him out too..." Nabiki suddenly felt sorry for the person she loved to torment.  
  
"Oh... I see..."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Usagi sat perched on a rock, at least a mile away from the Tendo dojo. Raking a delicate hand through her glimmering hair she just sat there.  
  
And sat, and waited, and sat.  
  
Maybe she had thought that the revelation would just come to her, but her musing didn't seem to be helping matters.  
  
Ami or Mamo-chan would have been able to figure it out.   
  
She took the dull crystal off from around her neck, holding it up to catch some of the moonlight.   
  
"You stupid thing... why won't you ever work when I want you to?" She tried to crush it in her palm, venting her anger on it. But it just sat there, remaining absolutely perfect in it's perfection. Wasn't it supposed to follow her heart? Wasn't it supposed to work?  
  
She let out a frustrated scream, cursing her weakness. "I hate all this fighting, I hate having to live for fighting! I hate it, I hate it, I HATE IT!"  
  
Maybe that's why it didn't work, you fool. Her mind was wheeling. Was it her hate that didn't allow the crystal to work? Was her heart so clouded with emotions and hatred that she couldn't use it.  
  
Oh, it all made sense now.  
  
She had to have a strong heart to use it; but all her worries and her depression had kept her from it because she thought she was worthless.  
  
"Hotaru-chan... you're such a wise little girl." She closed her eyes, lifting her face again to the moonlight.  
  
She was who she was.  
  
She was Serenity the lover, she was Usagi the normal klutz, and she was Sailor Moon the fighter, the one who brought hope.   
  
She was herself.   
  
Sliding off the rock, she began to venture home, the crystal giving off a warm glow in her hand.  
  
(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)  
  
"Come out, come out, where ever you are..." a voice carried in through the occupied room. Ukyou felt a slight chill of trepidation.  
  
"Seeker..." she whispered, nudging a still Ranma.  
  
"We have trouble outside, everyone stay here." Ranma and Ukyou leapt to their feet, nearly dropping to the floor as everyone followed. "Did I just say...?"  
  
"Ranma, just give it a rest. We're curious about this guy too." Soun informed him, "Now get out their and make us proud." After taking one look at Seeker, he shoved the boy and girl out the door, slamming it shut behind them.  
  
"Nice people." Ukyou muttered, wincing as the memory of Seeker kicking her rose in her mind. She pulled out a spatula, "Ready Ran-chan?"  
  
"Yup."  
  
  
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-  
  
Ranma sent another set of punches towards Seeker who dodged them easily. Ukyou was out cold from a direct kick to the head, and Ranma was sporting numerous bruises and cuts.  
  
"Getting tired, Priest of Light?" Was the mock.   
  
"Who the hell is the Priest of Light, buddy? It ain't me!" Finally, Ranma sent him flying.  
  
"You, you fool! Soon, you'll be in her highness' grasp, just like your little girlfriend."  
  
Akane...?  
  
Nothing could have made Ranma angrier, "You little Son of a bitch! What the hell did you do to her?"  
  
"Me? Nothing." He picked himself off of the ground, dusting his black slacks off. Damn, that kid can pack a punch.... "She's dying a horrible death, starving, being abused..." He could feel Ranma's battle aura spark, "And the guards seem to like her... a lot..."  
  
That was all it took, Ranma made the foolish charge towards Seeker, flipping over his shoulder and trying to knock him down with one blow.   
  
In the next instant, Seeker had his throat, lifting him off the ground with inhuman-like strength.  
  
"Time to come with me, little boy."  
  
"I'd... rather... die..." Ranma wheezed.  
  
"That *can* be arranged..."  
  
Just then, a disc of light, cut through the night-time sky, and a voice called out clear as a cloudless sky:  
  
"STOP RIGHT THERE!"  
  
+)(+)(+)(+)(+)(+)(+)(+  
  
*yawns* I'm so tired. This is one long-butt chapter... Okay, this is going to make me sound really stupid, but the reason that I didn't post this for like four months is...  
  
*cough* IlostthediskthatIsavediton *cough*  
  
There you have it, the trouble of it all. Thank Fiore-chan, she pestered me into it. =) Just kidding... Now show some Sailor Moon spirit here people, the people over in the Gundam section are MUCH more kind about reviewing, it makes me not want to write SM fics because no one tells me if they like it or not! *pouts*  
  
Luvs and hugs  
Chibi Acky  
  
http://kiss.to/gyousei  
  
  
  
  



	9. A Crossing of Destinies (part 1)

heroes7 In the next instant, Seeker had his throat, lifting him off the ground with inhuman-like   
strength. 

"Time to come with me, little boy." 

"I'd... rather... die..." Ranma wheezed. 

"That *can* be arranged..." 

Just then, a disc of light, cut through the night-time sky, and a voice called out clear as a   
cloudless sky: 

"STOP RIGHT THERE!" 

------------------------------H---E---R---O---S ----------------------------   
A Crossing of Destinies (part 1)   
by Chibi Acky   
email: xela@selphie.nu   
disclaimer: Ranma 1/2 and Sailor Moon both belong to their owners. :)   
------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

A beaten and bloodied Ranma Saotome had never felt so bitter in his entire life as he did   
staring Seeker down, on his own territory. Casting a hopeful glance up to the direction of   
the voice, Ranma almost missed dodging another kick Seeker let fly towards his stomach.   
However, his enemy didn't seem to mind, and instead, directed his attention towards the   
new voice. 

"Come out, come out where ever you are..." 

"Under the protection of the time-space star, the guardain of time, Sailor Pluto!" The tall,   
green-haired senshi was perched upon the Tendo's cobble stone fence. Her slender form   
was shilloutted by the dark night-time sky. Her talisman's deep garnet-colored stone   
glittered in the light of the full moon. 

"Under the protection of teh silent star of revolution, here I am, Sailor Saturn!" Saturn,   
wtill mangled with ehr torn fuku, held her glaive in a determined grip. She had managed   
to squeeze past the shocked and astonished stares of the Tsukin, Saotome, and Tendo   
families. 

"Beautiful as always, my dears!" Seeker smirked with his eyeless face, "Bu tthe brightest   
of you all is still missing... oh, Serenity.... where are you?" Ranma manged to pull himself   
up into a strong fighting stance in front of Ukyou, who had just begun to wake up from   
the slumber she had been in because of Seeker crashing her into a wall. 

"Ugh... Ran-chan...?" 

"It's okay, Ucchan..." He helped the weak girl to her feet. Ukyou swayed, and her grip on   
Ranma's arm was almost deadly. Ranma had never seen her so frightened in his life.   
"They came," She whispered in awe, "The Senshi will save us, right?" 

Ranma didn't answer. 

"Right here." A voice finally answered from one of the many gargantuan branches that   
spread from the sagacious tree that had been planted in front of the dojo. 

Usa-chan?!> Ranma thought frantically. His head snapped up in the diretion of the large   
tree. 

"With the blessings of the Moon, the star of Love and Justice, the soldier of sanctity,   
Sailor Moon!" AMaxingly enough, the girl jumped from the tree without killing herself,   
and in fact, it was even rather graceful. She let out a little smirk at Seeker's surprised   
face, "Hello, Darling. It's been a while, hasn't it?" She jabbed. 

"Usagi-chan!!" Ranma and Ukyou shouted simultaneously. Usagi favored them with a   
slight wave, but kept her face serious. 

"Ranma, bring Uyou inside!" She shouted, whipping back around to face Seeker. Ranma,   
deciding against angering his cousin - the Sailor Senshi - half carried the wounded   
okonomiyaki chef into the house, much to her protests. 

"Listen to me, Ran-chan!" She paused, "Seeker just about killed us- even you! You're   
practically the world's best martial artist!" he set her down on the ground, not even   
bothering acknowledge the looks from the room's other occupants. 

"I know." He said simply, with an uncharacteristically grim expression plastered on his   
face. He turned and left without another word. 

I see... Ran-chan... I know how much you love her, but what about us? If you get killed,   
you'll break my heart too.> 

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 

Ranma had never felt quite so... helpless in his life, as he did watching his cousin and the   
other Senshi. 

"... back in your original form, I see." Seeker circled around Sailor Moon in a hawk-like   
manner. Sailor Moon firmly held her ground. It was true, Usagi had noted with mild   
distress... and when she had tried to transform, she found herself back in her original form. 

"Get away from her!" Saturned pouned the bottom of her glaive into the dewy grass.   
Ranma was a little taken back by the look in her eyes. 

So cold...> 

"Dead Scream!" Was the mere whisper from Pluto. Ranma, who had never before   
witnessed a Senshi's powers, nevermind a Senshi in battle at all, stood in mild amazement,   
appreicating the power and sheer beauty of it all. 

"Silence Wall!" Saturn threw up a protective wall, shielding both her and Usagi from   
Pluto's blast. Seeker was sent flying back, nearly at Ranma's feet. Seeing this as his   
oppertunity to strike, Ranma held his foot to Seeker's flabby throat, "Where is Akane?!"   
Ranma shouted, "Tell me!" 

Seeker just gave him a toothless grin as he grabbed Ranma's anke and twisted.   
Fortunately, Ranma allowed himself to be spun with the his ankle and landed a few feet   
away, dropping into another stance. 

"Not bad." Sekker mumbled, digging into the leather pouch at his side, "And seeing how   
I am utterly outnumbered, I thought I might invite a few new friends..." 

Taking one look at Usagi's facial expression when Seeker pulled out four twinkling   
crystals in the shapes of stars, Ranma knew that something wasn't right. 

... the hell is going on?!> He thought in bewilderment, his blood running cold at the   
sight of them floating dazily in Seeker's palm. 

"Chaos! I call upon you! Gather your strength! Give birth to new Senshi!" All three   
senshi made a dive towards the starseeds, and each and everyone of them missed. There   
were four blinding flashes of light, red, orange, green, blue, and Usagi, remembering this   
from a not-to-distant memory, nearly broke down into tears all over again. 

Ranma, utterly bemused, watched as the four Inner Senshi stepped from their   
corresponding lights. "Hey Usagi-chan, aren't these your friends...?" He asked, coming   
to flank her side. 

"No." Usagi replied, a look of eternal sadness in her eyes, "These aren't my friends." She   
let out a shaky breath, "He has their starseeds... he's corrupted them with chaos... these   
aren't... my friends..." Her voice trailed off uncertainly. 

"Very good observation, Princess!" Seeker turned and snapped Mercury's neck, leaving   
the blue haired soldier to lay with her vacant eyes staring into nothingness. The hair on   
the back of Ranma's neck stood up on their ends. 

"What the hell did you do that for?!" He shouted angerily, "What in the hell is wrong with   
you?" 

"You want the match to be fair, don't you?" 

"Not at the expense of another's life!" Pluto cried. She had seen this too many times. 

"Oh, but I do suppose you know what will happen next, don't you Time Guardian?" He   
reached over and grabbed Venus' long golden hair. 

"Don't do this." Pluto pleading, stepping in front of Saturn, as if to block her line of   
vision. But he did have *every* intention of it, *every* intention of making them suffer.   
He pulled out his long dagger at his side, and with the flick of his wrist, Venus was down   
with an angry red stream of blood flowing from her neck. 

At this point, Ranma was beyond disgusted, and when he turned to see how his cousin   
was taking it, he found her, staring straight ahead. Her body had seemingly locked itself   
up, and when she spoke, it was barely above a whisper, "So this... instead of making us   
fight them, you're going to massacre them infront of us?" 

"Who said anything about a massacre, I'm just bringing about a glorious revolution!" He   
began to laugh insanely, and Ranma tensed up ready to pounce, but Usagi held an arm out   
infront of him, "Who are you?" 

"Me? A bounty hunter. I just carry-out the missions." His shallow face was almost   
completely unlight, even with the light of the full moon, "And you," He said in a eeire   
voice, "Are my mission." 

"And so are the priests, and prietesses... the Prince, and the princess'. You're all apart of   
my mission." He paused, raising his sword, "And my mission is to DESTROY YOU   
ALL!" Making a clear dive towards Saturn probably wasn't his wisest choice, because in   
turn, she made a clear slice down his center with her glaive. 

"Mission?" Usagi was utterly confused as Ranma crouched beside her, "The Priests and   
Priestess'? What are you talking about?" 

Pluto felt her heart drop into her stomach at the ghastly grin Seeker was giving her, "You   
didn't tell them, Guardian of Time?" 

"Setsuna-mama?" Hotaru turned her innocent eyes towards the totally stiff Pluto, "What   
have you been keeping from us?" 

Clutching her Time staff, Setsuna replied in an angry voice, "Don't try and turn the tables   
on me, Seeker, you know as well as I do that distirbing the timeline is breaking a taboo." 

"Taboo-shamoo, Setsuna my dear." Stepping back, he reached into his pouch again   
pulling out the a familiar golden crystal, "So, if I were to bring *him* back, and kill   
*her*... would that be the end of everything? Couldn't the galaxy survive without the   
Messiah?" 

"Don't..." Usagi whispered, clutching at her heart, "Please... I don't want to see him   
hurt...." Tears threatened to spill out of her eyes. Ranma, not understanding who "Him"   
was, as usual, immediately jumped to conclusions. 

"After all he's done to you, how can you not want him hurt?! Huh?" Ranma shouted in   
his cousin's face, "What the hell is going on?!" 

"Well, if he's all for it, then I say, welcome back Endymion!" 

"NO!" Usagi screamed, but it was already too late. The golden light shimmered and   
expanded as a shadowed figure stepped through. His armor, immpeccable, and his eyes a   
vacant black. 

"Endymion-sama... kill them." 

With his cousin sobbing, his new allies looking ready to rip Seeker's heart out (or lack   
there-of), Ranma, as usual, was confused. "Someone want to explain?" Ranma swept his   
eyes over the group. 

The dark haired man with the empty eyes just nodded, unsheathing his sword and pointing   
it directly at Sailor Moon. "USAGI!" Saturn cried, "MOVE!" She knocked the shocked   
girl out of the way, nearly taking out a chunk of her shoulder. Saturn cursed under her   
breath, motion for Setsuna to go ahead and do something, "Pluto, you and I will deal with   
Seeker." 

Pluto merely nodded. 

"And me?" Ranma asked. 

"Don't get in the way." 

Ranma had the dencency to look offended as he stepped back out of the line of fire. He   
glanced over to see how his cousin was fairing... 

===================== 

"Mamo-chan..." Usagi mumbled, backing away from the tip of his sword,   
"Mamo-chan..." 

He didn't reply, and only swung his sword down upon her. She turned out of the way,   
causing the tip of his sword to catch on her fuku, riping it. 

"Listen to me Mamo-chan! This isn't you! WAKE UP!" She cried pleadingly, "Please...   
Mamo-chan..." Tears were already blurring her vision as he knocked her roughly to the   
ground with the bottom of his cumbrous sword. 

"USAGI!" Ranma cried out sharply, "Don't let him just kill you!" He had to literally hold   
himself back from killing the man. 

"I-I... I can't do this again, Ran-chan, I can't kill him..." Usagi stuttered, grasping her   
scepter to his chest. 

"Princess! Get it together!" Saturn shouted from where she and Pluto were, "This isn't   
Endymion, this isn't *your* Endymion!" 

She's right... this... this isn't my Mamo-chan, I know this trick!> Mustering up enough   
courage to stand on her wobbily knees, she found the sharp stone tip of her true, her only,   
love's sword pointed directly at her heart. She looked up, time seemingly slowed as the   
tears dissapeared from her eyes. This has happened too many times...> 

"As long as it's you Endy..." She whispered, shutting out the visions from her eyes. His   
cold eyes, his vacant face, everything was gone in the blink of an eye. 

________________ 

"Hey, isn't that...?" Shingo began, eyeing Endymion warily. 

"Yes. I do believe it is." Ikuko shut her eyes, trying to block out the terrifying scene. 

"Um... well... shouldn't she be like... oh I don't know... running into his arms and   
embracing him?" Shingo raised an eyebrow, "Instead of pointing a sword at her heart?" 

"THAT'S IT! GOD DAMMIT!" Kenji made a lunge for the door, before both Soun and   
Genma tackled him to the floor, "I knew that kid was BAD NEWS!" 

"Oh sure, Dad, that's why you invitied him into our home and had Mom cook him   
breakfast." Shingo mumbled, peeking out the window. 

"That's before I knew he was evil!" 

Everyone just remained silent. 

Please God, just save my daugther...> Ikuko thought pleadingly, 

()()()()()()()()())(()()()()()()()()() 

So this would be the final blow to end everything? Usagi looked to her right, Seeker   
grinning viciously above the unconcious bodies of Saturn and Pluto. To her left, was   
Ranma, who was still screaming for her to get up, even though he didn't make a move to   
counterattack any of Endymion's moves. 

Usagi cried out in pain, clutching her chest as Seeker finally pulled the Chaos Blood Stone   
from his pouch, dangling it from afar. The Silver Crystal flared to life, nearly burning her.   
He walked closer, and closer, until he finally came to stand behind Endymion. Ranma was   
still to petrified for his cousin, to move. 

So Usagi did the only thing she could do, she stared into Endymion's cold eyes, and began   
to cry, "Mamo-chan... this isn't you! Wake up Mamo-chan!" Still no response or   
movement from him. 

"Alright Mamo-chan, just as long as it's you, and only you... Endy.... I love you. Even if   
you kill me... I'll still love you, for who you used to be." Usagi squeezed her eyes shut,   
waiting for the inevitable blow to come. 

But it never did. 

The pain was gone as she opened her eyes. The sword had been removed from her heart,   
and was now pointed at Seeker, with the Chaos blood shattered into a thousand pieces.   
The pieces began to ooze, as if turning back into real blood, before seeping into the   
ground. 

Endymion had his sword plunged into Seeker, a dangerous look in his now clear eyes.   
Seeker, who's skeleton-like face had never shown emotion before, was hunched over in   
pain, hissing something violently to Endymion. 

"Mamo-chan...?" 

Ranma finally had the courage to step forward, flanking his cousin from the rear.   
Endymion turned around, just as Seeker took out the Golden Crystal again, looking ready   
to crush it. 

"Usako..." Endymion whispered as he became part of the wind. 

"NO!" Usagi cried, jumping to her feet, her hands frantically running through what was   
left of his faint golden glitter. 

But he was already gone. 

"That's it... no more..." Usagi clutched her crystal in her hand, "Ranma, remember that   
bright white light thingy you did at Ukyou's resturant?" 

"Yeah..." Ranma wondered about what she was getting at. 

"See this crystal in my hand?" 

"Yeah..." 

"Aim it at it." 

"THE CRYSTAL?!" Ranma nearly collapsed, "Won't it break or something?!" 

Usagi pondered for a moment, tapping her chin thoughtfully, "Hmm... probably not."   
Both grinned a little bit. 

"Ready Ran?" 

"Ready, Usa." 

"Moon.... crystal... POWER!" 

"MOKO TAKABISHA!"   
______________________________________ 

*Moko Takabisha is only one of Ranma's special attacks, and uses chi energy. 

Okay, I *have* to stop there. This part is only 8 pages long, but it took me over three   
months to finish. I can't write anymore at this point, because I can't find my stupid   
notebook that held the rest of the plot line. The next part won't be out soon, but it won't   
take another three months to finish. 

Thanks for understanding! 

Chibi Acky 

PS If I don't get more than five reviews, I most likely won't finish this. I have like four   
other stories, and I'm rapidly losing interest in this story. 

_________ 

Wanna read my [blog][1]? 

   [1]: http://www.users.uswest.net/~dsbracken/blog.html



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